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Let them enter if they must, mother.” See page 67. 



For Home and Honor 

OR 

A BRAVE BOY’S BATTLES 


BY 

VICTOR ST. CLAIR 

AUTHOR OF 

"Zip, the Acrobat,” “From Switch to Lever,” etc. 



NEW YORK AND LONDON 
STREET & SMITH, PUBLISHERS 


THF. LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

T'wo CcjPtPR REctiveo 


iUL. IB 1902 

^COP^niOWr ENTRY 

Ol ASS ‘^XXc. So. 
COPY 8. 


Copyright, 1902 
By STREET & SMITH 

For Home and Honor 




CONTENTS, 


Chapter 

Page 

I. — A Startling Mishap 

• 5 

II. — An Unpromising Hero 

13 

III. — Everything Against Him 

. 21 

IV. — Found in the Cave 

28 

V. — Into a Tight Place . 

• 35 

VI. — The Charcoal Crater 

44 

VII. — Out of the Flames. . 

• 54 

VIII. — Unwelcome Visitors 

. • . 60 

IX. — The Search Warrant 

. 65 

X. — More Trouble 

70 

XI.— Nick’s Difficult Work . 

. . .78 

XII.— A Wild Team 

. . 83 

XIII. — Desperate Alternatives 

. 89 

XIV. — Two Startling Discoveries 

94 

XV. — Running the Gantlet 

. 98 

XVI. — Last Hour of Grace 

. . . 103 

XVII.— A Rich Man’s Word 

00 

0 

XVIII. — Nick Accused of Theft 

. 113 

XIX. — Sterns Serves Notice 

• 118 

XX. — An Artist in Disgrace . 

123 

XXI. — Daring Too Much 

. 128 


ii CONTENTS. 

Chapter Page 

XXII. — Nick's Sad Discovery . . . 133 

XXIII. — His Own Fault 139 

XXIV. — Heroism and Despair . . . 144 

XXV. — Another Notice 148 

XXVI. — Joe Blare’s Sensation • . . 153 

XXVII.— Nick’s Resolve 158 

XXVIII.— The Terrible Truth . . . • 163 

XXIX. — The Secret of the Cave . . . 168 

XXX. — A Great Mistake .... 173 

XXXI. — Condemned . . . . . *179 

XXXII. — Nick a Prisoner .... 184 

XXXIII.— How Bell Kept His Word . . .190 

XXXIV.— A Knave or a Fool? .... 195 

XXXV.— Old Life and New .... 200 


FOR HOME AND HONOR. 


CHAPTER I. 

A STARTING MISHAP. 

‘T tell you, Virg, it leads somewhere/’ 

'Then follow it if you want to, Vast Sterns. I am go- 
ing back to the picnic. If it isn’t lunch time, it will be 
before we get there, and I am as hungry as a bear.” 

The speakers were two pupils of Miss Ada Spencer’s 
school, at what was called the "Narrows District,” situ- 
ated at the western extremity of a country town in 
Northern New England. The occasion was a half-day’s 
outing, or picnic, of Miss Spencer and her scholars in 
that rugged locality known in local geography as Blake’s 
Hill. 

This is a picturesque region, with a surrounding 
scenery noted far and wide for its beauty and variety of 
landscape. Looking southward, the beholder gazes on a 
far-reaching vision of hills, variegated with patches of 
forests and green pastures, valleys teeming with the prod- 
ucts of the husbandmen’s watchful care, farmhouses hero 


6 A Startling Mishap. 

and there lending an appearance of human life to the 
scene. Upon the left, near at hand, Old Brokenback 
Mountain cuts off the view, though around the abrupt 
angle formed by its left shoulder the gazer catches a 
glimpse of the red monarch. Chief Pawtuckaway (great 
deer place, according to Indian folk lore), looking like a 
stern-browed sentinel on duty. To the right, in the 
background, a long backbone of hills forms a rugged 
frame for the beautiful valley of Sunny River, which, in 
turn, makes a fit setting for those crystal gems of nature, 
Silver and Sunny Ponds. Let the beholder of this prod- 
igal display of nature’s wealth now look northward, and 
he sees the handiwork of man in the thriving little hamlet 
of the Narrows, where, converging from as many points, 
five roads meet, appearing in the distance like silvery 
threads banding hills and valleys. 

Between the Narrows and the picnic grounds, though 
no signs of human habitations are in sight, dense volumes 
of black smoke rise sluggishly above the tree-tops, and 
then, as if bent upon casting a blur on the beautiful 
autumnal scene, settle gloomily back upon the earth. 

This smoke cloud, which refuses to clear away, marks 
the one desolating feature of the fair countenance of 
Nature. Hemmed in by forests and hills, save on the one 
side where the slender neck of highland between a wide 
territory of swamp on the one hand and the backwater 


A Startling Mishap. 7 

of Sunny Pond on the other, affords a pass-way to the 
place called the Narrows, this isolated spot was known as 
‘‘The Birches,’’ and its inhabitants, consisting of a dozen 
families of evil repute, were called “the Charcoal Burn- 
ers of the Narrows.” 

The school pupils, about forty in number, having 
brought their luncheons in baskets, were arranging for 
their outdoor feast in the very best of spirits, their kind- 
hearted teacher seeming everywhere present, lending her 
assistance toward making the occasion as joyous as pos- 
sible. 

Partly to escape helping in these preliminary arrange- 
ments, for either of them was ever ready to walk a mile 
to avoid five minutes of work, and partly to satisfy their 
desire to hunt for squirrels, Virgil Bennett and Vastly 
Sterns had left the crowd, and, penetrating deeper into 
the solitude of the woods, climbed to the summit of the 
hill. 

The growth here was sparse, owing to the rocky sur- 
face of the earth, and the youthful twain soon found 
themselves on the brink of a cliff with a sheer descent of 
more than forty feet. 

Its surface composed of jagged lips and spurs of rocks, 
with dark fissures and seams and thin layers of poor 
earth, the perpendicular wall of granite was partially cov- 
ered with tufts of bushes and moss. 


8 A Startling Mishap. 

A fringe of stunted growth marked the edge of the 
chasm, so the boys had to make an opening before they 
could gaze into the depths. 

They had been prompted to make this examination from 
no stronger motive than curiosity, but Virgil Bennett’s 
first glance brought a cry of wonder from him. 

The object catching his attention was a rope dangling 
from the top of the cliff down about half the distance to 
the bottom. 

There were no bushes of any size at this place, and the 
line stopped at a shelf of bare rock. 

''Who do you suppose put it there, and what is it for?” 
asked Vastly. 

"It looks as if it had been there some time,” replied his 
companion. "Isn’t there an opening in the rock just 
above that shelf?” 

"Looks like it. If the bushes only grew here as they 
do further along I would climb down and see.” 

"Well, you can’t climb down there, that is certain. 
But say. Vast, it may have been put there by some old 
duffer who meant to hang himself, but lacked the courage. 
You know Johnny Shute ” 

"Nonsense! I tell you it leads somewhere.” 

After this bit of sage comment, which I have repeated, 
the boys started to leave the place, when four or five of 


A Startling Mishap. 9 

their companions, who had followed them hither, ap- 
peared upon the scene. 

Among the newcomers was little Sammy Dow, who 
was not over five years old, and small for his age. 

At sight of him. Vastly Sterns exclaimed : 

‘‘Hold on, Virg! Let's lower Sammy down to the 
shelf by the rope, and he can see if there is a cave or not. 
We can do it as slick as a whistle." 

The novelty of the idea struck his companion favor- 
ably, and he entered into the spirit of the proposition at 
once. 

Too young to comprehend the real danger his head- 
strong companions were asking him to incur, Sammy 
Dow quickly agreed to allow himself to be lowered to the 
rocky shelf. Accordingly, no time was lost in adjusting 
the rope about his body under the arms, and the reckless 
twain, assisted by two others, began to lower their 
smaller schoolmate downward. 

“Look sharp, Sammy, and see if there isn't a " 

Little Sammy Dow was nearly down to the shelf, 
when, in the midst of Vastly Sterns' speech, a loud snap 
was heard, and the rope parted midway, the doomed 
boy's shriek of horror ringing out sharply on the clear 
afternoon air, as he was thus suddenly dropped into the 
depths. 

“The rope's broke — Sammy's killed !" cried Virgil Ben- 


lo A Startling Mishap. 

nett, the first to speak of the horrified group, and the 
remnant of the rotten line fell from the grasp of the 
startled boys. 

At first not one of them had the courage to look over 
the brink to ascertain the fate of their victim. 

^Terhaps he wasn’t killed,” said Vastly, as he parted 
the bushes with a trembling hand, and gazed into the 
chasm. 

The next moment he exclaimed, joyously; 

''He didn’t fall to the bottom, boys; he struck on the 
shelf. He lies there just as if he was dead, though.” 

"What has happened, scholars ?” asked a voice, at this 
juncture, which caused every one to turn abruptly, find- 
ing their teacher and several schoolmates rapidly ap- 
proaching. 

"What was the meaning of that cry?” asked Miss 
Spencer. "Has any one been hurt?” 

Then, in broken language, Virgil Bennett told of the 
accident. Miss Spencer’s countenance growing pale as he 
continued. 

When he had finished she approached the brink of the 
chasm to note carefully the situation of the unfortunate 
Sammy. 

"I do not believe he has been killed,” she said, with a 
breath of relief. "But he lies there unconscious, and, oh, 


A Startling Mishap. ii 

dear me ! he is lying on the very edge of the rock, so the 
least move he makes will send him down to certain death. 
What shall we do to save him 

will climb down to him — I think I can do it,’’ said 
Bert Johnson, one of the largest boys, and he was about 
to attempt the impossible feat, when Miss Spencer for- 
tunately recovered her presence of mind sufficiently to 
pull him back. 

'^No — no! you cannot do it — no one can, and it would 
be madness to sacrifice another life. We must have a 
rope and ladder as soon as possible. Some of you run 
over to Mr. Hill’s for help. Go as quickly as you can, 
for your lives.” 

Three of the largest boys started at once upon their 
errand ; but, as it was two miles to the nearest house, there 
was little hope that they could summon assistance in sea- 
son to save the life of the unconscious child, who was 
lying so white and motionless on the very brink of the 
rock-shelf. 

Frightened at what they had done, like the cowards 
they were, Virgil and Vastly followed those who had gone 
for help. 

Miss Spencer began a close watch over the imperiled 
boy, her fear increasing each moment 

''Our only hope is that he will not recover conscious- 


12 A Startling Mishap. 

ness before help gets here. But he is sure to come to his 
senses soon — if he ever does,” she added, in a low, un- 
natural voice. ^The moment he moves he is sure to fall 
— mercy ! he is starting up — ^he is going over the edge ! 
What can I do?” 


CHAPTER II. 


AN UNPROMISING HERO. 

Miss Spencer recoiled from the startling scene, unable 
to witness the fate of her pupil, while her young com- 
panions huddled about her in terror. 

Fortunately, the fright of the onlookers was caused by 
the fluttering of little Sammy's jacket as it was lifted 
slightly by the wind, and not from any movement on his 
part. But the color was coming back to his cheeks, and 
in a moment he was sure to rouse up, unconscious of the 
peril the slightest action on his part was certain to bring 
him. 

In the midst of this trying scene, his coming unnoticed 
by the terrified group of anxious ones, a newcomer ap- 
peared on the brink of the precipice by the side of Miss 
Spencer. 

‘‘What's the trouble ?" he asked, simply. 

Looking around with surprise, the teacher saw a boy 
smaller than the oldest of her scholars. 

In her excitement she did not notice his unpromising 
appearance enough to give it a second thought, though 
his tattered clothes, with his face and hands, and bare 


14 


An Unpromising Hero. 


feet completely covered with coal dust, gave him a most 
unprepossessing look. 

heard the cry down to the kiln, mum, and I thought 
something had happened to somebody,’’ he said, as Miss 
Spencer hesitated in her reply. 

‘‘Sammy Dow has fallen over the cliff! He ” 

“He’s opening his eyes, teacher !” cried one of the chil- 
dren. 

The strange boy turned with the startled woman to 
look over the chasm, comprehending in an instant the 
cause for alarm. 

“He’s not going to lay there long,” he declared, tersely, 
looking hurriedly around as he spoke for some means of 
rescue. 

Simultaneously with that glance his course of action 
seemed clear, and, with a rapidity of movement that 
amazed the others, he began to climb, hand over hand, a 
gray birch standing near the edge of the abyss. 

Tall and slender as trees of that kind grow, he had not 
ascended far before the lithesome birch began to sway 
and bend beneath his weight. 

Keeping on the side toward which he wished to have it 
lean, the nimble climber went higher and higher, until 
the strong and supple tree bowed its top so it carried him 
out over the yawning chasm, where, if he loosened his 
hold, he must fall to certain death upon the rocks below. 



“He hung suspended in mid-air.” 


See page 15 






An Unpromising Hero. 15 

Still the undaunted boy, descending now rather than 
going higher, crawled toward the tapering crest of the 
birch, which continued to lower him into the depths. 

Breathless and speechless, the spectators watched him 
until he had gained the topmost branches, and, finding the 
tree no longer moving downward, he paused to survey 
his situation. 

Finding that he was still several feet above the shelf, 
he then unclasped his feet, and hung suspended in mid- 
air from the tiptop stem of the birch. 

Somewhat to one side and several feet above the shelf 
he must reach, he seemed helpless to help him he had 
risked his life to save. 

^'It is beyond his reach !’’ cried Miss Spencer, wringing 
her hands in agony. ‘They will both be killed! What 
shall we do 

But as she spoke the rescuer, finding he must quickly 
abandon his precarious hold, began to swing himself to 
and fro by striking his feet against the rocky wall, mak- 
ing the pendulum-like movements longer each time, until 
finally he sprang lightly down upon the inner side of the 
shelf from little Sammy Dow's quivering figure. 

Catching upon a crevice in the rock in order to main- 
tain his own equilibrium, he seized with the other hand 
upon Sammy barely in season to save him from his 
threatened fall. 


1 6 An Unpromising Hero. 

A cry of relief came from the spectators overhead, al- 
most instantly followed by a scream of terror from the 
frightened victim, who, the moment he recovered his 
senses, struggled to break from the hold of his rescuer. 

Trying to quiet his charge in vain, the latter had no 
slight task on hand in maintaining his grasp upon the 
terrified child and his own position on the narrow ledge. 

After a few minutes, however, Sammy, finding he was 
in friendly hands, ceased his struggles. 

‘Tf you can remain there a few minutes, help will be 
here,’' called down Miss Spencer. 

‘'All right, mum,” was the cheery response. 

Though the interval of waiting seemed long, it was 
really but a short time before a couple of men came, 
bringing with them a long, stout rope, one end of which 
was soon dropped to them on the rocky shelf, and in a few 
minutes little Sammy was safe in the arms of the teacher. 

“This is the happiest moment of my life!” exclaimed 
Miss Spencer. “If you had been killed, I should never 
have forgiven myself.” 

The men hesitated as they realized the task they must 
have in pulling up the larger boy, but he quickly helped 
them out of their difficulty. 

“Fasten the end to the foot of the birch,” he said, and 
no sooner had it been done than he ascended hand over 
hand. 


An Unpromising Hero. 17 

^'You brave, noble boy cried the teacher, rushing to 
meet him, and, regardless of his grimy appearance, clasp- 
ing him in her arms. 

‘‘I’m afraid you will smooch your fine clothes,” said the 
strange youth, breaking from her hold as soon as he could. 

“Clothes are nothing beside what you have done to- 
day. You are a true hero. What is your name?” 

“Why, teacher,” broke in Bryant Hill, her oldest pupil, 
“don’t you know that he is the son of Old Nick — one of 
the Bleaks of the Birches ? His father is in State prison, 
and no one thinks of associating with any of the crowd of 
old Nick Bleak.” 

Miss Spencer tried to stop the speaker, saying, as soon 
as he had stopped: 

“I don’t care who his folks are, he has proved himself 
a hero. What may I call your name, my hero ?” 

“Nick Bleak, mum, though everybody calls me the son 
of Old Nick. But I must go. You see, I left the kiln 
mighty suddint, and ’tain’t best to leave ’em long when 
they get to this p’int.” 

“You must come down and eat lunch with us. The 
tables are all spread, and I couldn’t think of letting you 
go without it.” 

“I must, mum ; hope you’ll excuse me.” 

“Well, if you think you must, 1 . shall have to let you 
go. Is it so very far to your work?” 


1 8 An Unpromising Hero, 

''No, mum.” 

"Then you will come back? We will wait for you.” 

All of the school had by this time gathered about the 
speakers, one after another exchanging significant com- 
ments, and nodding toward the unfavorable-appearing 
boy, who showed by his looks and manner that the situa- 
tion was anything but pleasant to him. 

He had lost his frayed straw hat in his descent over 
the precipice, and his disheveled hair streamed about his 
head in worse disarray than ever, while he moved un- 
easily before the kindly gaze of Miss Spencer. 

Realizing his discomfiture, she said : 

"You can go to your work, Nicholas, if you think best, 
but promise to come back. Will you, to please me?” 

"Yes, mum,” and, without stopping to say more, he 
bounded away into the undergrowth like a frightened 
deer. 

"You won't see anything more of him. Miss Ada,” 
said Mr. Hill, with a smile. "Hark! I can hear him 
running half a mile away.” 

"I should think you would be glad he is gone, teacher,” 
said Annie Blake. "Oh, my! he has ruined your dress. 
To think one of those charcoal-burners should have dared 
to come near you !” 

"What do you mean, Annie? It was I who went to 
him, and I could have kissed him with all the dirt on his 


An Unpromising Hero. 


19 


face, I was so happy. If it hadn’t been for him, Sammy 
would have been killed, and I should have always blamed 
myself for taking him here to-day.” 

“But the Bleaks and Blares are real mean people. Miss 
Spencer. Everybody is afraid of them and dislikes 
them.” 

“Whatever his people are^ he has done an act to-day 
that will make me always remember him. He doesn’t 
seem like an evil boy. At any rate, he is coming back to 
eat lunch with us, and I want you all to treat him well.” 

. Miss Spencer was generally liked, and, though this was 
the beginning of her first school at the Narrows, she had 
already won the friendship of her pupils. 

Thus nothing more was said openly against Nick 
Bleak, while the party followed their mistress back to 
their lunching ground. 

This was one of the prettiest spots that could be found 
in midforest, and under the spreading branches of two 
giant oaks two tables had been placed, the tempting viands 
on them tastefully arranged with evergreen vines twined 
around and about the different dishes and the borders of 
the boards. 

At the moment that our school party came in sight of 
the place a loud crash rang in their ears, followed by the 
collapse of one of the tables and the sound of some per- 
son running away through the woods. 


20 An Unpromising Hero. 

“Our lunch is ruined cried a chorus of voices, while 
above the childish cries came the louder tone of Virgil 
Bennett, saying : 

“It’s that Nick Bleak, teacher! Shall I chase him 
down ?” 


CHAPTER III. 


EVERYTHING AGAINST HIM. 

Miss Spencer caught a glimpse of a youthful figure fast 
disappearing into the depths of the forest beyond, but her 
attention was quickly called to the scene of the wrecked 
lunch tables by the movements of a huge yellow dog, 
which was greedily devouring the viands scattered about 
the place. 

''Get out V' she screamed. "Oh, Mr. Hill ! drive away 
that dreadful creature before he destroys everything.’' 

Mr. Hill, as well as the others, had seen the thieving 
animal, and, catching up a club, he hurled it with a pre- 
cision and force that sent the brute off into the woods 
with a howl. 

It was a gaunt, ill-favored dog, which looked as if it 
was nearly starved to death. 

"It belongs to that dreadful Nick Bleak, and it has 
spoiled our dinner. Look here, teacher, and see where 
he has bitten into my mummer’s pie that she made for me 
yesterday,” cried Alice Harvey, beginning to cry. 

"Perhaps we can save enough for our lunch,” said Miss 
Spencer, hopefully, though she felt very much like giving 
way to her feelings. 


22 Everything Against Him. 

Under her directions, the children, assisted by the older 
ones, who, by this time, had been called hither by the 
alarm that had been made over the adventure of Sammy 
Dow, soon rearranged the tables, sorting out the food 
that showed the least vestige of the depredation which 
had been made. 

“Why, I believe it looks better than it did before,” de- 
clared the teacher, “and, as we shall not be likely to leave 
them again without some one to watch over them, we 
won’t let our good time be marred by thoughts of what 
has been done. Even little Sammy here is forgetting his 
trouble, and beginning to look as cheerful as any of us. 
See, the lump on his head, where he struck on the rock 
when he fell, is growing beautifully less. What a narrow 
escape that was !” 

“We came pretty near getting him, teacher,” cried 
Virgil Bennett, suddenly reappearing upon the scene. 
Vastly Sterns and two or three others following closely 
upon his heels. 

To tell the truth, he and Vastly were quite anxious to 
do something to divert attention from the cause of Sammy 
Dow’s fall. 

“Never mind, Virgil. Of course you don’t think it 
was Nick Bleak that upset the tables.” 

“We know it was, teacher. And that yellow dog is 
his Robin, the very worst dog in town.” 


Everything Against Him. 23 

“There is one thing certain/’ remarked one of the old- 
est girls, “he won’t dare to show himself now, so our 
picnic won’t be spoiled by his presence.” 

Not knowing what reply to make, Miss Spencer re- 
mained silent, and, under the excitement and enthusiasm 
of the occasion, the preparations for the lunch went on 
without further reference to the young charcoal-burner, 
until, as the party began to be seated at the tables, the 
sound of footsteps fell on the scene, and, to the amaze- 
ment of all, Nick Bleak and his dog paused near Miss 
Spencer. 

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting, mum, but I’ve 
come as soon as I could. The kiln was in a bad way when 
I got back.” 

She was pleased to notice that he had somewhat im- 
proved his personal appearance by brushing his clothes, 
evidently with a switch, as there were marks of the same 
left where the coal dust had been but partially removed, 
and he had washed his face and hands. But this last act 
could be scarcely called an improvement, as he had failed 
to obliterate all traces of the dirt, so his features were 
corrugated with dark lines of grime and dust. 

Looks of displeasure had suddenly appeared upon the 
countenances of the majority of her pupils, while mur- 
mured words of dissatisfaction were heard on every 
hand. 


24 


Everything Against Him. 

Trying not to notice all this, Miss Spencer turned to 
the young charcoal-burner, saying: 

‘'You are just in season, Nicholas. Here, take a seat 
on this side.” 

‘T don’t want him sitting by the side of me, teacher,” 
whispered Annie Blake, loud enough to be heard around 
the table. 

“You can move down by the side of Cora Watson if 
you wish to, and Vastly Sterns can sit here. It will make 
it better ” 

“Look at that miserable dog! He is jumping ” 

“Down, Robin!” called out Nick, who had not failed 
to see the frantic actions of the animal. “Why can’t you 
keep still, Robin ?” 

“Give him something to eat ; he is hungry,” said Miss 
Spencer, tossing the creature a piece of meat, which the 
famishing Robin carried away to a distance, and began 
to devour greedily. 

Nick Bleak had overheard enough to understand that 
something had taken place previous to his coming which 
had caused trouble. 

“Did Robin get to your dinner, mum ?” 

“It is of little account, Nicholas. He was not really to 
blame.” 

“I’m sorry, mum, and I’m sure Robin didn’t mean to do 


anything wrong.” 


Everything Against Him. 25 

'"But you were here with him/' spoke up Vastly. ‘'I 
can prove it by three or four of the boys." 

A look that no one understood appeared on the grimy, 
pinched features of the charcoal-burner, who finally said, 
in a low, firm tone : 

went straight to the coal kiln after I left you at the 
big rock." 

'‘Never mind," Miss Spencer hastened to say. "The 
lunch is spoiling, so take hold and eat, one and all." 

It was a hungry crowd, and, busy with satisfying their 
appetites, the children soon forgot the presence of Nick 
Bleak, if Vastly Sterns be excepted. 

The latter improved every opportunity he could get to 
prod his seatmate with a pin, capping the climax of his 
persecutions by pushing the supports of the bench from 
under it, and thus precipitating all on it upon the ground 
in a promiscuous heap. 

"He did it!" declared Vastly, jerking his thumb in the 
direction of Nick Bleak. 

The thin lips of the latter twitched, his hands clinched, 
and for a moment it seemed as if he would throw him- 
self upon the accuser, but, looking up at Miss Spencer, 
and seeing the discouraging expression on her counte- 
nance, he quickly changed his attitude, at once lending 
his assistance toward repairing the seat, saying simply : 

"Everything is against me, mum." 


26 Everything Against Him. 

Despite these little unpleasant features, the lunch was 
voted a grand success, and when Nick Bleak declared, at 
its close, that he must return to his work. Miss Spencer 
thanked him for the pleasure of his company, and invited 
him to call at her boarding-place, all of which he received 
with a painful bashfulness that showed he was bewildered 
by this unexpected kindness. 

''My faith. Miss Ada,’’ said Mr. Hill, with a laugh, "I 
really believe you are smitten by the young scamp.” 

"All heroes do not carry their trade-marks on their 
faces, Mr. Hill. Something tells me that boy has the 
right qualities in him to make a true man.” 

"If he does make an honest man. Miss Ada, it will be a 
miracle. He is made up of the very worst elements in 
humanity.” 

"We are not all good at our best, Mr. Hill, nor all bad 
at our worst.” 

At a loss to know how to reply, Mr. Hill turned to 
some of the boys to say : 

"We forgot to take that rope along with us in our ex- 
citement. Won’t some of you run up to the cliif and 
get it?” 

"Virg and I will get it,” cried Vastly Sterns, starting 
at once on the errand, with his friend accompanying him. 

"I want to see what is at the foot of that rope,” said 


Everything Against Him. 27 

Vastly, as they reached the summit. 'Til bet there is 
something there worth looking for.’’ 

As he considered himself the leader of the undertaking, 
Vastly insisted upon being the one to descend to the rocky 
shelf, and, without delay, he began the hazardous descent. 

By holding smartly on the swaying line, and bracing his 
feet against the rough side of the cliff, he managed to de- 
scend in safety, until he was nearly to the end of the rope. 

Glancing downward then, he saw a dark opening into 
the wall, which was evidently the entrance to a cavern, 
and he shouted to his companion : 

"There is a hole in the ledge, as I told you. And that 
rope did lead some ” 

In the midst of his speech he suddenly discovered the 
figure of Nick Bleak crouching at the mouth of the cave, 
and he added, in a tone of terror: 

"Pull me up — quick, Virg! The son of Old Nick is 
here, and he’s got a knife, and means to cut the rope !” 


CHAPTER IV. 


FOUND IN THE CAVE. 

Though Nick Bleak made no hostile movement, the 
sight of a long-bladed knife in his hand sent a thrill of 
terror through the frame of Vastly Sterns, and with a 
wild cry on his lips, he loosened his hold on the rope. 

Virgil Bennett shouted a word of warning, but started 
back at the sight of the peril of his friend. 

Realizing the deadly peril of the falling youth, Nicholas 
Bleak dropped the knife he held, and sprang forward to 
save him, if possible. He succeeded in seizing upon 
Vastly 's coat, but the garment yielded as the doomed one 
continued to descend, until his rescuer managed to catch 
more firmly upon his clothing with the other hand. 

But even then the young charcoal burner was unable to 
withstand the fearful strain brought to bear upon him, 
and with Vastly clinging to him, he, too, went over the 
edge of the shelf. 

In his desperation, however, Nick Bleak caught with 
both hands on the sharp rim of the rock with so firm a 
hold that he hung suspended on the side of the cliff, while 
the other clung to him for dear life. 


Found in the Cave. 


29 

''We shall be killed cried Vastly Stern. "Help, Virg! 
quick y 

"Don't pull so/' warned Nick, "or you will tear my 
hands from the rock." 

"I can't hang here long!" panted the other. "I shall 
fall in a minute." 

"Can't you climb over me ? I think I can keep my hold 
for you to do it." 

Vastly made the attempt at once, and by dint of severe 
struggling, during which it seemed as if Nicholas Bleak's 
hands must have been made of iron, or they would have 
been torn from their grasp, he managed to raise himself a 
foot or more. 

By that time Virgil Bennett had reached the shelf, 
when, with his assistance, young Sterns gained the rock, 
where he fell prostrate. 

Freed from the other's weight, Nick then tried to climb 
to the shelf, but the side of the rock was too smooth for 
him to get a foothold, and he hung there, helpless to save 
himself. 

"Lend a hand," he implored. "Give a feller a lift — 
quick!" 

"Don't be in a hurry," replied Vastly, who had some- 
what recovered from his fright. ^'It will serve you right 
to hang there a while to pay for pushing me off in the 
way you did." 


30 


Found in tiie Cave. 


^^You let go the rope, when I tried to help you. Ain’t 
you going to give a feller a lift?” 

‘‘In a minute. I like to get a chap like you where he 
has to beg,” was the thoughtless reply. 

Nicholas Bleak closed his lips tightly together, and 
made no response, as he maintained the grasp that he felt 
was weakening every moment. 

Then, as Vastly Sterns and his companion were bend- 
ing over the brink to lend their tardy assistance, his fin- 
gers slipped from the rock and his form shot downward 
out of sight. 

“Why, he has fallen!” exclaimed Virgil, in genuine 
terror. 

“I didn’t suppose the fool was going to let go so soon,” 
declared his companion, with some anxiety. “I wonder 
if he is killed. Well, they can’t blame us, for I know he 
intended to kill me with that knife.” 

‘T guess Lock there, Vast !” cried his companion, 

excitedly. “Some one is carrying him off on his 
shoulders.” 

A^astly looked downward to see the burly figure of a 
man disappearing a:*ound an angle of the bluff, carrying 
the limp form of Nick Bleak in his arms. 

“What does it mean, Virg? Say, of all men that is 
Black Daniels !” 


Found in tlie Cave. 


31 

‘‘Black Daniels wouldn’t dare come into these parts so 
soon.” 

“It was he — I am sure. I have seen him too many 
times to be mistaken.” 

It was no wonder the twain were greatly excited over 
the discovery they had made, for the name Vastly had 
spoken was that of the worst character ever known in that 
part of the country. Though he had always managed to 
elude the officers of the law, he was generally supposed to 
have been connected with about every crime committed in 
that vicinity for several years. A remote relative of the 
Bleaks and Blares, he was pretty sure to put in an appear- 
ance at the Birches at irregular intervals, his coming being 
hailed as the precursor of some new offense. 

When they had seen the outlaw vanish around the cor- 
ner of the ledge, the boys began to think of moving from 
the place. 

“First let’s see what there is in this cave,” said Vastly, 
turning to look into the dark opening in the side of the 
rock. “See ! the hole leads in there farther than you can 
look. Here is the knife he was going to stab me with,” 
picking up a long, wide-bladed knife. 

“But what is this?” asked his companion, picking up 
some golden balls about the size of peas. “Why, they are 
gold beads !” 

“And here is a small box filled with silver spoons! 


Found in the Cave. 


32 

Aren’t we in luck, Virg? Let’s look around and we may 
find more.” 

But further search failed to reveal other treasures, 
though it was too dark for the twain to distinguish any- 
thing beyond a few feet of the mouth of the cave.” 

‘'Here is a name on the box,” said Virgil, “but I can’t 
quite make it out. The first letter of the word seems to 
be a capital L ; then there is an o — c — ^k — e. Why, that 
spells the name of Locke.” 

“Why, yes; don’t you see — James Locke. These are 
some of the things that were stolen from Mr. Locke’s 
folks at the time Nick Bleak was sent to prison. It is the 
lot he stole, and that boy of his was after them.” 

“Won’t we get a big reward for finding them ? I shall 
claim two-thirds of it, because I was really the one to 
find it.” 

“But I was with you and did just as much as you did. 
In fact, I found the beads before you did the box, and I 
shall keep them for my part, and I guess they are worth 
as much as your old spoons.” 

“Oh, we’ll divide even, Virg. I was just fooling. 
Come, as there don’t seem to be anything more, let’s 
leave. I am anxious to show what I have found. Won’t 
folks stick out their eyes !” 

A difficulty confronted the couple of which they had 


Found in the Cave. 


33 

not dreamed, for upon making the attempt, neither found 
himself able to climb to the top of the cliff. 

They lacked the agility and the nerve of Nick Bleak, 
who had strengthened and toughened his muscles by hard 
work all his life. 

The boys looked upon each other with dismay, but their 
cries for help soon brought the whole number of pic- 
nickers for the second time to the cliff. 

'What has happened now?” asked Mr. Hill, looking 
around, without discovering those who had made the 
appeals for help. 

"Here — we can’t climb the rock!” cried the imprisoned 
boys, in the same breath. 

"Well, I must say you are a pair of lubbers !” exclaimed 
Mr. Hill, looking down upon them. "That Nick Bleak 
came up the line like a squirrel. Here, boys, lend a hand 
and we will pull them up.” 

Neither Vastly nor Virgil paid any heed to what was 
said to them, but produced the treasures they had found 
in the cave, to the astonishment of their friends. 

"It is a part of the James Locke jewels and silverware 
that was stolen by the Bleak gang two years ago. Is this 
all you found, boys ?” 

"Yes, sir. How much do you suppose we shall get for 
doing it?” 

"I don’t know. The cave must be searched in every 


Found in the Cave. 


34 

part. There was considerably more stolen. I remember 
there was a watch, two gold rings, a collection of rare 
coins, earrings, and I don’t know what else. 

'‘Johnson, you keep watch here while I go to the vil- 
lage for ladders and a lantern, which we shall need to ex- 
plore the place properly.” 

"Oh, Mr. Hill!” cried Vastly, "I want to tell you that 
we saw Black Daniels at the foot of the ledge.” 

"Black Daniels? That cannot be, for he would not 
dare to show himself around here so soon.” 

"We certainly saw him; didn’t we, Virg?” 

"If Black Daniels is in the vicinity, we have got to 
move with extreme caution. Keep your eyes open, John- 
son, while I am gone.” 

"Better bring along your gun, for we ought to be 
armed, the way things look.” 


CHAPTER V. 


INTO A TIGHT PLACE. 

Though somewhat disappointed at the unsatisfactory 
way in which Mr. Hill had answered them in regard to 
the matter of their reward, both Vastly and Virgil felt 
that they were the heroes of the occasion, and the con- 
sternation created by their announcement that Black Dan- 
iels was in the neighborhood, added to their pleasure. 

It was already time to break up the picnic, if that had 
not already been done, so the entire party started at once 
for the village, the many glib tongues flying very fast 
over the day’s events. 

Though a thorough search under the direction of Mr. 
Hill was made at the cave, nothing more was found, nor 
a trace of anything. 

Miss Spencer boarded at a Mr. Alden Veasey’s, and as 
soon as she had arrived home, she made all the inquiries 
she could in regard to the charcoal burners, though the 
more she learned the more unfavorable became their 
reputation. 

‘The truth is,” said Mrs. Veasey, who was an honest, 
kind-hearted woman, “nothing good can be said of them. 


36 Into a Tight Place* 

My husband has known them all his life^ and he long 
since gave up having anything to do with them, sorry as I 
am to say it, Ada. 

'‘Nick Bleak, the father of your hero, is just my hus- 
band’s age, and I know when we were first married, he 
hired Nick to work for him a year at a fair rate of wages, 
hoping he could thus encourage him to do better. But he 
hadn’t been here six weeks before that Levi Blare came 
hanging round, and then Alden had some money stolen, 
a harness and several other articles, so he turned Nick off. 
Soon after that he was arrested and sent to jail. 

"Then that robbery took place at James Locke’s, when 
Grandmother Locke lost all of her heirlooms. Nick was 
arrested among others of the charcoal burners, and 
though the case was not very clear against him, his past 
record was, and he was sentenced to prison for fifteen 
years.” 

"But the boy does not seem really evil-minded.” 

"If he doesn’t, I don’t know why he should not. 
Though it has never seemed they were such thieves, 
almost every one considers the Blairs, young Nick’s 
mother’s folks, worse characters than the Bleaks. They 
are deceitful and treacherous. They have a wonderful 
gift of talk — ‘gab,’ my husband calls it — and they might 
be somebody if they would, but they won’t, and that is the 
amount of it.” 


Into a Tight Place. 37 

This conversation was continued all the evening, but 
nothing disheartened by its discouraging tone, Miss Spen- 
cer grew more and more determined in her mind to have 
Nicholas Bleak attend her school. 

'Tt is a laudable purpose, Ada, and I will help you all 
I can, but I must tell you at the outset that nearly every 
one who sends children to school will oppose it.'’ 

Having made up her mind to induce the young outcast 
to come to her school, if possible, it was necessary that 
she should see him, and as there was small chance of his 
coming to the village, she decided to visit the home of the 
charcoal burners. 

Not caring to go alone into a neighborhood of such 
doubtful repute, she asked four of her largest boys to ac- 
company her, Vernon Veasey being the chief of the quar- 
tette, Eddie Dow, a brother of Sammy, Luther Swayne 
and Henry Hoyt making up the number. 

She had not spoken of her intentions to any one, ex- 
cept those who were to go with her, so those who wit- 
nessed their departure, did so with great curiosity. 

It was a common saying at the Narrows that nothing 
could take place there without the “Troublesome Twins,” 
as Virgil Bennett and Vastly Sterns were nicknamed, 
being mixed up in it. And it would seem that the rule 
was going to prove true in this case, for just as Miss 
Spencer and her companions were starting on their trip, 


38 


Into a Tight Place. 


this redoubtable twain were returning from a jaunt 
through the woods on a squirrel hunt, and discovered the 
little party. 

'Til bet they are going up to the Birches,'’ cried Vastly. 
"Come, let's follow them." 

"I can't. I am going over to the Blue Hills with Uncle 
Josh this afternoon, or I would. Say, you had better go 
with me and let Miss Spencer and her black-faced hero 
alone. Look! Vern Veasey is leading them, and I never 
liked him." 

"I am going after them, if I have to go alone. I'll bet 
you I'll have loads of fun ; tell you about it to-morrow." 

Without waiting for his friend to reply, Vastly, un- 
mindful of the fact that he had not had any dinner that 
day, started in pursuit of the little party. 

"Mean old thing!" he muttered. "She might have told 
me she was going, and I would have shown the way a 
good deal better than that shallow-headed Vern Veasey. 
I shouldn't be surprised, though, if he gets an awful lick- 
ing from some of the burners, and I don't care if he does." 

With such thoughts as these in his mind. Vastly Sterns 
followed, cautiously, after the others, until they had gone 
nearly a quarter of a mile, when he stopped suddenly, ex- 
claiming : 

"I will do it! Won't the schoolmarm be surprised to 


Into a Tight Place. 39 

find me there ahead of her. That shortcut will just help 
me do it, and then I shall be able to know all that is going 
on without it's looking as if I had put myself in the way." 

No sooner had he come to this conclusion than he 
turned from the road into the woods at a right angle from 
the course followed by the highway, increasing his speed 
as soon as he felt that he had got beyond the hearing of 
the others. 

The country was uneven, and at places the growth was 
so thick that he could not get ahead as fast as he wanted 
to in his impatience ; but he had kept on as rapidly as pos- 
sible for five minutes, when he was startled by the foot- 
steps of another a short distance away. 

Stopping abruptly, and looking wildly around, he 
quickly discovered a boyish figure half-concealed by a 
clump of hazels a few rods to the right. The youthful 
individual had also come to a sudden stop, and he was 
peering cautiously out from his covert toward Vastly. 

'Tt's that Bub Bleak !" exclaimed the latter, with a look 
of relief. ''He's watching me, but I'll scare him so he 
won't be able to tell that he ever saw me." Then he 
added, in a louder key : 

"I am after you, you little ragbag — get !" 

"Bub" Bleak, as he was called, was a brother to Nicho- 
las, but not over ten years of age and small for his years. 


40 Into a Tight Place. 

The moment Vastly Sterns uttered his cry and started 
toward him, the little fellow turned and fled for his life. 

This was high fun for the other, who gave pursuit at 
the top of his speed. 

On through the growth the twain sped. Bub Bleak 
hardly seeming to touch the ground for rods at a stretch. 
Once, suddenly finding himself confronted by the top of 
an overturned tree, he actually scaled its thick mass of 
branches and passed down on the other side with the 
agility of a squirrel. 

His pursuer was obliged to go around the obstacle, 
while he laughed in great glee at the terror of his victim. 
Though he had not originally intended to follow the fugi- 
tive so far, the sport was too great for him to give it up, 
so he kept on until he was amazed to find that the boy 
had disappeared. 

'T don’t see where the little rat could have gone,” he 
said to himself, as he continued to look for the missing 
boy. ^^One thing is certain, he couldn’t have got over the 
ridge without being seen — ha !” 

The exclamation was called forth by the sight of the 
trunk of a huge hollow tree, which had been hurled to the 
earth that summer by a bolt of lightning. 

'‘Hullo, you little imp ! are you in there ? I hear you ! 
Char-co! char-co! you just wait and I will pull you out.” 

If he had had any doubts of Bub Bleak’s presence in 


Into a Tight Place. 41 

the hollow log before, these were dispelled by the move- 
ments of the hunted boy. 

Thinking that it would be fine sport to capture the fugi- 
tive and pull him out of the tree. Vastly Sterns dropped 
down upon his hands and knees to begin to crawl into the 
dark recess. 

The aperture was at first fully three feet in diameter, 
but as it grew smaller as he advanced, he felt confident 
that he would soon be able to put his hand on his victim, 
who was trying to keep out of his reach. 

‘'Char-co! char-co!’’ called out the pursuer, while he 
crept ahead, though beginning to get sick of the senseless 
chase. 

The hole had now decreased in size so that he had to 
crowd himself forward, and he found that the sides were 
lined with long and short splinters of wood, which oc- 
casionally scratched him. But as the point of all seemed 
to be turned forward, he did not mind them very much. 

Finally he had to stop, unable to get any further, 
though Bub Bleak was still beyond his reach, being 
enough smaller to crawl out of his grasp. 

'Tf I could get my hand on you. Bub Bleak, Fd make 
you ki-yi.’’ 

‘Tdl kick you if you come any nearer,” replied the other. 

“Well, kick away where you are, if you want to; I 
only wanted to scare you any way. I am going to crawl 


42 


Into a Tight Place. 


out now and stop up the hole, so you can’t get out. I 
would before if I had thought of it.” 

Anxious to get out of the narrow quarters, he moved 
backward, when he was startled by a sharp punch from 
something behind! 

''Who’s there ?” he called out, in alarm, but not a sound 
responded to his voice. 

His body completely filled the aperture, so he could not 
look in that direction. But after waiting a moment he 
repeated his attempt at retreat, and suddenly found a 
dozen sharp points sticking into as many places in his 
clothes and body. 

A shiver of horror ran through his frame, as he felt 
that somebody was behind him, armed with sharp knives, 
and he at once imagined it was a friend of Bub Bleak. 

"I didn’t intend to hurt him ; I only chased him for fun. 
Let me out !” 

Still that terrifying silence. Vastly Sterns had never 
been so frightened in his life. Had it been light, it would 
not have seemed so bad, but to be cooped up in that way 
was terrible. 

He lay perfectly still for several minutes, and then he 
mustered up courage enough to make another attempt to 
retreat. But the resistance was sharper than before, and 
he uttered a yell of horror, which added to his terror by 


Into a Tight Place. 43 

its strange, unnatural sound. A queer sensation came 
over him, and he felt that he was fainting. 

At that moment a smothered cry came from Bub Bleak, 
followed by appeals for help and the startling words : 


Snakes ! snakes 


CHAPTER VI. 


THE CHARCOAL CRATER. 

Vernon Veasey led his little party along the Blake’s 
Hill road in silence, until he reached a place in midforest, 
where a rough wheel way diverged from the left. 

'This is the way to the Birches,” he said. "It wasn’t 
regularly laid out by the town, so it’s pretty rough. But 
it is the only way the charcoal burners have of getting out 
with their loads.” 

"I should think they would make it better themselves,” 
said Miss Spencer. "Why, look at this bridge! I am 
almost afraid to cross it.” 

The bridge in question, though spanning a stream of 
considerable size, was very loosely constructed of small 
maple and birch trees. As the latter is not a wood that 
lasts long when exposed to the weather, many of these 
poles had rotted away. 

The bridge was near the foot of a steep hill, the road- 
way being nothing more in appearance than a gully 
washed out on the hillside by rainstorms at different 
times. 

At the top of this ascent a large opening in the woods 
was to be seen on the higher slopes beyond, 


The Charcoal Crater. 


45 

‘‘It is where the charcoal burners have cut off the 
wood for coke/' explained Vernon. “They are getting 
the wood pretty well thinned out now, so they will have 
to go somewhere else soon." 

“Do they own all this land ?" . 

“Oh, no. They own considerable of it, but all the 
upper strip belongs to 'Squire Thrasher, and he lets them 
cut off the birches on his land by paying him so much. 
He's awful stingy and mean, and he would do anything 
for a dollar." 

“You shouldn't say that, Vernon. But if the burners 
own this land, they musts be quite well off after all." 

“It is too poor and rocky to be worth anything. Old 
Joe Bleak bought the whole territory of Captain Coe for 
two sheep and an odd yearling steer. Nick Bleak, Levi 
Blare and Mose Shingle are supposed to own it now, but 
it has been sold for taxes, two or three times, and Fletcher 
Sterns has the collector's deed for it. I heard him say 
that if the matter wasn't settled up soon, he should take 
possession. I think folks hope he will, so the charcoal 
burners will have to move away." 

By this time they had reached a place where they could 
get a view of the little valley lying like a basin in the 
midst of the hills. 

“You can see the coke burner's huts in a row on the 
farther side," said Vernon. “The coke pits are up yon- 


46 


Tlie Charcoal Crater. 


der, where you see that smoke. They are burning two 
at the same time this fall, something I never knew them 
to do before.’' 

Miss Spencer had noticed the dense clouds of smoke 
rising above the tree tops, but she was anxious to see the 
dwellings of these poor people, so she said : 

''Where did you say their houses were? I do not see 
them.” 

"Why, those 'camps,’ as 'we call them, over there by 
the rocks are all the houses they have. That one to the 
very left by the square bowlder is where Nick Bleak 
lives.” 

Miss Spencer now saw half-a-dozen rude sort of huts, 
such as she would have expected to find among the na- 
tives of some uncivilized country, but to see them within 
a mile of her schoolhouse was more than she could be- 
lieve at first, though she was looking upon the sight 
herself. 

These primitive dwellings were built largely of poles, 
and with sod walls and roofs thatched with brush and 
leaves. It is true the ends of some of them were built of 
boards, but poles and sods were more generally used. 

The habitation pointed out as the home of the son of 
Old Nick was slightly larger than the average, and it was 
built by the side of a high rock, so that the latter formed 
one of its walls. The front end was made of boards, with 


The Charcoal Crater. 


47 

a door in the middle. A stone chimney had been built on 
the outside at the farther end. While they gazed upon 
this simple home, a thin wreath of smoke curled lazily 
from the top of its rude chimney, and the door being 
open, they could see a woman moving about within the 
hut. 

''Is it possible my hero hves there!” exclaimed Miss 
Spencer. 

"There are other huts just out of sight,” said Vernon. 
"Shall we go down to them ?” 

"I suppose Nick is up to his kilns; we will go there 
first, as I want to see him.” 

"Why, teacher! what a funny expression you have on 
your face. Didn’t you think they lived like this?” 

"It is a burning shame — a disgrace to humanity that 
well-to-do people should suffer this to be,” she replied, 
with an earnestness that surprised her companions. 

"They don’t seem to want to live any different,” said 
Vernon. "But there is Nick working about his kiln.” 

"Now, children, remember your promise not to be too 
inquisitive, and you must let me have a chance to talk 
with him alone. He will feel more free in that way, I 
think.” 

"Yes, teacher ; but look ! he has seen us.” 

The young coke burner, who had turned away from the 
smoking kiln long enough to clear his eyes so he could 


48 


The Charcoal Crater. 


resume work, started with a frightened look upon his 
face as he unexpectedly saw his visitors. 

‘'I don't suppose you expected company, Nicholas," said 
Miss Spencer, advancing toward the kiln; ‘'but I could 
not resist the temptation to see you at your work. It is 
something I know so little about." 

“It's very simple, mum," replied the boy, gaining cour- 
age and confidence by her apparent simplicity. “But 
don't go too near; that smoke and dust will ruin your 
dress." 

“Never fear for that. I cannot see for my life how it 
is done. I want you to explain it all to me; but first, I 
am anxious to know how you escaped from your fall on 
the cliff Saturday. I was afraid you were seriously hurt." 

He showed his surprise that she should know anything 
about it, but hastened to say: 

“It was a queer thing to happen, mum; but jess as I 
was falling, Uncle Irum come along, and seeing me a- 
coming down there headlong-like, he run and ketched me 
in his arms. Fact, mum." 

“So you weren't hurt?" 

“Not worth mentioning. How did the boys come out?" 

“Safely, with more thanks to you, I think, than they 
were willing to own. Do you like this work?" 

“I have to, mum. It's the money I have got to have ; 
but I reckon I'll get it out of these two kilns." 


The Charcoal Crater. 


49 


'WHat ! do you mean to say both of them are yours?'’ 

‘‘Yes, mum. I cut the wood for them, and I tended 
them till yesterday alone, when I got Breck Shingle, that 
boy there, to help me. They have to be watched purty 
close now. He'll help me to draw them as soon as they 
are uncovered.” 

“Hold on, Nicholas, you will have to explain those 
terms, or I shall not understand you. You must remem- 
ber I am new to the business.” 

It was surprising how easily she had won his confi- 
dence by her friendly, straightforward way, but unheed- 
ing her last words, he exclaimed : 

“Mum, why are you different from everybody else ?” 

“I didn't know that I was, Nicholas. Please explain 
your meaning.” 

“Nobody ever spoke to me like that afore.” 

There was a tremor in his voice, and she fancied she 
saw tears glistening in his eyes. 

She was about to reply, when a piercing scream rang 
on the air, and, looking in the direction of the other kiln, 
she saw a sight which brought a cry of terror to her lips. 

It seemed that Miss Spencer's young escorts had liter- 
ally obeyed her request to leave her alone with Nick, Ver- 
non Veasey having wandered into the edge of the growth, 
accompanied by Eddie Dow, while Henry Hoyt and Lu-^ 
ther Swayne had gone on tQ the second coal pit. 


50 


The Charcoal Crater. 


Near this kiln the last couple found a boy of fourteen, 
bent nearly double over some task which was not apparent 
to them at first. So intent was the other over his work 
that he did not look up at their approach, nor show any 
indication that he realized their presence. 

It was plain that he was a brother to Nick Bleak, 
though he was dressed even poorer than the other, his 
whole attire consisting of a blue drilling shirt and a pair 
of pants made from a meal bag. He was more slender 
than his older brother, and despite the deep coating of 
grime and coal dust, he was not a bad-looking boy. Cer- 
tainly the blue eyes and thin, pinched features showed 
little, if any, of the viciousness attributed to his family. 

Near by him lay the yellow dog which had made such 
havoc with the picnic dinner, and the task so completely 
engrossing his attention at that moment was the transfer- 
ring of the homely likeness of this animal to a piece of 
coarse, brown paper that he had spread out as smoothly 
as possible upon the surface of a flat rock. His pencil 
was a lump of charcoal. 

But, although an artist working under great difficulty, 
the result of his painstaking efforts must have surprised 
one competent to judge of art in its crude form. Even 
the careless boys who had stolen upon him unawares stood 
for a whife watching with manifest imtiereet> the &wiit 


The Charcoal Crater, 


51 

movements of his hand, noting with wonder the effect 
brought out by each line. 

‘^Humph!’’ exclaimed young Swayne, suddenly break- 
ing the silence hanging over the scene, '‘if I didn't know 
it, I should say you were trying to make that dog's 
picture." 

Before he had finished speaking, the startled artist had 
sprung to his feet, and stood facing them, though ready 
to flee at the least sign of hostility. 

“Wot yer wanter scare a feller for?" he demanded. 

“Hope you'll excuse us, but we were so fascinated by 
your work that we forgot to cough or do anything to let 
you know we were coming. Say, what do you get for a 
work of art like that ?" catching up the paper and holding 
it so the drawing could be seen. 

“Do folks sell picters?" asked the artist, in surprise. 

“How did you suppose they got them if they didn't buy 
them ?" 

“S'posed they made 'em. I like to make picters." 

“I should judge so by the way you were working when 
we came up. What fine paper you use ! Where did you 
get it ?" 

“It came round the last fish Nick bought. I smoothed 
it out with a flat rock." 

“I should say you did. See, Hen, works of art are on 
the rise," at the same time shying the sheet of paper 


The Charcoal Crater. 


52 

upward into the air, which, catching a gust of wind, was 
wafted to the top of the coal kiln, where it fell in the de- 
pression at the summit of the smoking, throbbing monster 
cone. 

‘'Oh, don't ! save my paper !” cried the boy. “It's all I 
have got !" 

“Climb, then, and get it," replied Luther Swayne, who, 
while not a bad boy at heart, delighted in the amusement 
the other's anxiety gave him. 

“I can't climb the kiln — Nick won't let me." 

“Afraid of soiling your clothes, I suppose. They are 
pretty fine, I must say." 

“The kiln ain’t fit to climb now, it is so near drawing. 
But I'll get my paper with this pole." 

“No, you won't, either. If you are afraid to climb up 
there, you shan't have it." 

“I ain't afraid, but the kiln will break in. Oh, let me 
get my paper.” 

“Bah! you are afraid to go up there. I'll show you 
that there is no danger in climbing the kiln. See " 

“Stop !" cried the other, catching him by the sleeve and 
trying to hold him back. “Nick'll be awful mad and it'll 
ruin the kiln and " 

Breaking from him with a taunting laugh, Luther ran 
swiftly up the slanting side, until he stood at the top. 

“Looks like breaking in !" he shouted, waving his cap 


The Charcoal Crater. 53 

in the air. you own up now, Bell Bleak, that you 

were afraid? If you will, I will get your paper for you. 
See! this would hold up an ox team,'’ jumping into the air 
as he spoke and coming down with all the force he could 
muster. Though he felt the sod surface beneath his feet 
yield at his first stamp, Luther Swayne repeated his fool- 
hardy maneuvre, but as he came down the second time 
the whole top of the kiln seemed to give way, and he was 
plunged into a raging volcano of fire. 

‘'Help !” he shrieked, as he clutched at the treacherous 
sides in vain, while a dense cloud of black smoke shut out 
the surrounding scene from his gaze. 


CHAPTER VII. 


OUT OF THE FLAMES. 

‘'The kiln has broke in, and he will be burned to death !’' 
cried Nick Bleak, who saw the startling scene plainly, 
save for the black smoke that rolled in huge volumes 
above the doomed boy's head. 

No sooner had he uttered this startling announcement, 
than the boy charcoal burner rushed in the direction of 
the exciting scene, knowing that only prompt action 
could save the unfortunate youth. 

‘T am choking to death !" shrieked the victim, trying in 
vain to save himself from the fiery depths below. 

The smoke was growing hotter about his head each mo- 
ment, and clouds of sparks began to fly upward. The 
instant the air should reach the interior the whole pit 
would break into flames. 

Henry Hoyt, who had not spoken during the conversa 
tion with Bell Bleak, stood as if riveted in his tracks, 
while Vernon and his companion watched the sight spell- 
bound. From out of the dwellings scattered over the val- 
ley came rushing half-a-dozen screaming women and a- 
many children. 


Out of the Flames. 


55 . 

Miss Spencer was following Nick, with a wild, terri- 
fied look upon her features. 

The only one who had the presence of mind to try and 
save the imperiled boy was Nick Bleak, who reached the 
base of the kiln at a few bounds. In a moment he was 
ascending the side, and dropping flat upon the hot sur- 
face, he reached out his hands to Luther, saying: 

''Ketch hold and I’ll try to pull you out. Hold hard.’' 

At that moment a tongue of flame darted upward, and 
Nick could feel the fierce beating of the volcano beneath 
him. 

Luther Swayne caught frantically upon the strong 
hands held out to him, and as a drowning person will 
hold upon another, he clung to them. 

But he was as large as his would-be rescuer, and the 
latter found himself baffled in his efforts for a time. The 
kiln under him was "slumping” and was liable to break 
in, when the fire must burst forth in a deluge of flame, 
but Nick did not falter. With renewed strength he 
tugged at the other, lifting him slowly upward. 

"Ketch upon Nick’s feet!’’’ cried Bell. "It will help 
him,” and suiting action to his words, he ran up far 
enough to carry out his purpose. 

The next moment, with the assistance of Nick, Luther 
succeeded in clearing the crumbling edge of crater, and 
he fell headlong down the side of the kiln. 


56 


Out of the Flames. 


A thicker cloud of sparks sprang upward, quickly fol- 
lowed by a volume of flames. A deep roar sounded in 
the heart of the huge cone-like structure, telling that the 
fire was getting under strong headway. 

Nick Bleak was on the ground before him he had res- 
cued, and carrying the latter to a safe distance, he rushed 
back to try and save the kiln. A pile of sods were 
heaped up a few feet from its side, and he began to 
cover the top of the kiln with these, hoping to stifle 
the fire. 

‘'Help, Bell, or the kiln is lost !” 

Not only his brother but several of the women hur- 
ried to his assistance, and so rapidly did they work that 
in a few minutes the roaring had abated and the flames 
no longer leaped forth. Nick had to work with great 
care in laying these sods over the fractured surface, 
but he did his work so well that at last he stopped work 
long enough to brush the perspiration from his begrimed 
countenance. 

Miss Spencer and the boys who had come with 
her had given their attention to Luther, who had come 
out of the ordeal better than might have been expected. 
It is true his clothes had been nearly ruined, the hair 
half-burned from his head, and several blisters raised, 
but he had not received any serious injuries. Still he 


Out of tlie Flames. 57 

presented a sorry-looking appearance, and he was a sober- 
looking boy. 

'‘You were lucky to get out so well,’' said Nick, "I 
thought at first I shouldn’t be able to lift you.” 

"It seems to be the fate that we should be your debt- 
ors continually,” said Miss Spencer. "Nicholas Bleak, 
again I must thank you from the depths of my heart for 
your heroic action.” 

"It’s nothing. He hadn’t oughter have gone on the 
kiln, and Bell is to blame for not telling him.” 

"It wasn’t Bell’s fault at all,” declared Luther. "No- 
body is to blame but myself. If you don’t mind. Miss 
Spencer, I will go home now. You will go with me, 
Henry?” 

"I am very sorry it happened,” said the teacher. "It 
does seem as if I was getting some of you into trouble all 
the time. I hope your folks won’t blame you, Luther. 
I will call on my way home.” 

Nick renewed his work upon the kiln, assisted by the 
boy called Breck Shingle, and Bell, the women returning 
to their humble homes without speaking to the young 
woman who had appeared among them so unexpectedly. 

"Has it done very much injury, Nick?” she asked. 

"I can’t tell yet, mum, though I’m afraid we shall lose 
considerable in the middle. You see, if a fire gets started 


58 Out of the Flames. 

in a kill it’s hard to put it out. I was going to draw it 
in the morning.” 

‘'I am very sorry, and I will try to see that you do 
not lose anything by it,” though just how she was to save 
him his loss she was unable to tell. ‘1 came over to talk 
with you, Nicholas, but I do not suppose you feel like 
sparing the time now.” 

''I don’t see how I can, mum, though if it’s very ’por- 
tant. I’ll stop long enough to hear it. I hope you’ll ex- 
cuse me, mum; you see, I must save this coal if I can, 
for it’s all I have to count on.” 

don’t blame you, Nick, and I wish I could help you. 
If you won’t mind it, I will sit here on the grass, and wait 
until you are more at liberty. I am very much interested 
in your work.” 

don’t see how the wood can be scorched over and 
not burned into ashes, as is done in stoves,” said Vernon, 
as he and Eddie took a seat beside their teacher to watch 
the operations of the charcoal-burners. 

^'I am afraid I can’t enlighten you very much,” replied 
Miss Spencer. ‘‘I know something of the principle and 
theory of the matter, but I should have to ask Nick in re- 
gard to the application of my little knowledge. 

‘'Wood, you will learn when you come to study chem- 
istry, is composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen gases. 
You will also learn that water is composed of the two 


Out of the Flames. 


59 


last, in parts of eight to one. When wood is fired in the 
open air, or where the atmosphere can affect it, the 
oxygen of the latter unites with that of the wood and 
forms a flame, consuming the carbon, so that only the 
earthy part — what we call ashes — is left. But when the 
wood is burned where the air does not reach it, the 
oxygen and the hydrogen are liberated by the intense 
heat, and escape in a sort of acid, which is the thin vapor 
we call smoke. As there can be no flame in this case, 
what we might call the body, or woody fiber, the carbon, 
is only charred, and is the charcoal. But what can have 
happened now to cause such a commotion?’' 


CHAPTER VIII. 


UNWELCOME VISITORS. 

Miss Spencer’s attention had been arrested by excited 
exclamations from the little group of boys standing but a 
short distance from the kiln. She soon learned that one 
of them, who had just returned from a ramble through 
the woods, reported that he had heard shouts and cries 
that had startled him, so he had come home with all speed 
possible. 

No amount of questioning could get from him any 
plausible explanation, so Nick finally declared that some 
of them had better go with the other, and see if they 
could find out what the cries meant. 

''You go with Joe, Bell, and Breck, and mind that you 
are not gone longer than is necessary. I can’t leave the 
kiln, or I would go. You had better take an ax with 
you.” 

"You might go, too, Vernon, if you wish,” said Miss 
Spencer. "Eddie and I will wait here until you return.” 

Without more delay, the five started on their errand, 
while Miss Spencer watched the work of the voung char- 
coabburner with increasing interest, 


Unwelcome Visitors, 6i 

‘'How many bushels do you expect to get from a kiln, 

Nickr^ 

‘'One hundred and fifty, mum, if I have good luck in 
drawing. I meant to have put in wood enough to have 
two hundred bushels, but I didn't have time to cut it." 

"This is all sold, mum, to a Mr. Bragg, of Lee, and I 
have to get it to Portsmouth. I get twenty cents a 
bushel." 

"Let's see; there will be three hundred bushels in the 
two kilns, and at twenty cents a bushel you will get sixty 
dollars. That will be quite a sum for you." 

"Yes, mum ; but you know it may not turn out as well 
as I expect. Then I have got to pay Mr. Thrasher five 
dollars for wood I had of him. I shall have to hire some 
of it drawed off, too. I hope to get fifty dollars for it. I 
must," he added. 

"Some particular object, I suppose." 

"Yes, mum," then, after a moment's hesitation, he 
added: "You see, I have got to make out fifty dollars 
next Friday, or we shall lose our homes." 

"A debt? You need not be afraid to tell me all, Nick, 
for I am interested in your welfare." 

"I know I can trust you, mum, though 'tain't many one 
I can trust. 'Tisn't just a debt, mum, but it's the taxes. 
You see, they haven't been paid for three years, and the 
places were sold by the collector for last year and year 


62 


Unwelcome Visitors. 


before, and Fletcher Sterns bid them otf. He holds a 
collector’s deed for ’em, but I made him promis'e that he’d 
give me till Friday to settle for ’em.” 

'‘But the taxes for two years can’t be fifty dollars on 
your place.” 

"It’s the costs, mum, that runs ’em up. Our tax isn’t 
quite six dollars a year; and then there is Uncle Levi’s 
place that I am looking after till he gets home ; his is half 
as much as ours. I don’t know just what the amount of 
all should be, but Mr. Sterns can do as he’s a mind to, 
now he’s got ’em deeds. It’s tough to lose your home, 
mum, and I’m doing my best to save it.” 

"Mr. Stems ought not to be hard with you. I hope he 
will give you plenty of time, and that you will get as 
much out of your coal as you expect.” 

"I tell you, mum, a feller with a father and an uncle in 
State prison ain’t got much show for hope,” he said, his 
lip quivering as he spoke. 

"Aren’t there any men living here?” she asked. 

"Yes; they are all away this afternoon on Brokenback 
Mountain gunning. They don’t like to work, mum.” 

"When you have got your coal off you will be more at 
liberty, I suppose.” 

"Not much, mum. You see, I shall have to go right to 
work burning more, for this year’s taxes have got to be 
paid inside of a month, or there li be costs on ’em. Then 


The kiln has broken ! he will be burnt to death.” See page 54 








Unwelcome Visitors. 


63 


we have to buy something to live on, to say nothing of 
clothes, which ain't much," he said, looking down at his 
own with a smile. 

“Have you ever been to school, Nick?" 

“Not since they drove us out three years ago. Mother 
has tried to learn us some, but we're about beyond her 
now." 

“I want you to come to my school this fall." 

“I would like to, mum, but it would never do. Folks 
are so down on us they would never 'low it. And I can't 
spare the time if they would. I tell you, mum, I wish 
Bell could go. He's a great scholar, and he can draw 
such picters. I wish I had one of them for you to see." 

This conversation was continued for half-an-hour 
longer, when the sound of footsteps was heard in the 
growth beyond, and then half-a-dozen persons came into 
sight. 

They were those who had gone away unde’' the leader- 
ship of the boy called Joe, to investigate tne cause of his 
alarm. Bub Bleak was now added to their number, and 
the story of his captivity in the hollow log was soon told. 

“Who was the boy who chased you?" asked Miss 
Spencer. 

“It was Vastly Sterns, teacher," replied Vernon; “but 
he got well paid for what he had done, as he was as fast 
as Bub in the log. You see, the inside of the shell of the 


64 Unwelcome Visitors, 

tree was lined with long, sharp splinters, made, I suppose, 
by the breaking of the grain of the wood by the lightning, 
and these picks all stood toward the top of the tree. Thus 
the moment they tried to move back they would stick into 
them, and they could never have got out. I never saw 

such a frightened fellow as Vastly Hullo! who are 

those coming here? Why, as I live, it is Sheriff Trask 
and the selectmen of the town. What can they be after?’* 

With a glance at the four men, Miss Spencer turned 
to see what effect their appearance would have upon Nick 
Bleak, but she was not prepared for the white, haggard 
look that suddenly overspread his countenance. 

What did this visit of the sheriff and his men mean? 


CHAPTER IX. 


THE SEARCH WARRANT. 

The wondering group by the coal kiln awaited the ap- 
proach of the officer and his companions in silence. 

If the men were surprised at the presence of the visitors 
among the coal-burners, they did not show it, but Sheriff 
Trask broached the subject uppermost in his mind in his 
blunt way. 

'‘We are looking for Irum Daniels, commonly called 
Black Daniels,’^ he said. “Will you tell us wfiere he is, 
Nick Bleak?" 

“I cannot, sir," faltered the charcoal-burner. 

“He has been seen in this vicinity within twenty-four 
hours, and it will do neither you nor him any good to 
equivocate. We are bound to get him." 

“Uncle Irum was here Saturday," acknowledged Nick, 
“but more than that I cannot tell you." 

“You mean you won’t. But before we get through 
you will be glad to. Smith," speaking to one of his com- 
panions, “you keep your eye on this scamp while we 
search the place." 

Nick Bleak understood that this order meant for him 


66 


The Search Warrant. 


to remain where he was, and, without speaking or mov- 
ing, he watched the three men as they hastened toward 
the humble dwelling he called ‘'home/’ 

Miss Spencer was as speechless as he, though she was 
calmer, and she gazed after the departing men as closely 
as he. At the doorway of the hut they were met by Mrs. 
Bleak, with her youngest child clinging to her skirts. 

“Stand aside, madam,” said the officer, brusquely. 
“We want to come inside.” 

“What do you want to come into peaceful folks’ houses 
for ?” she demanded, without offering to step aside. 

“I have good reason, madam, as you well know. Will 
you stand one side, or shall we have to resort to force ?” 

“Lay a hand on me — a woman — if you dare, Jont. 
Trask!” she replied, defiantly. 

“Nonsense, Mrs. Bleak, you know better than to stand 
in the way of the law. I have a search-warrant here, 
which empowers me to tear your old shanty to the ground 
if I think it is demanded.” 

“Tear it down !” she cried, bitterly, “but you will do it 
over my head. Beware how you lay a hand on me.” 

“I will have that worthless boy of yours arrested if you 
offer to oppose me. Is that enough?” 

In a moment her whole demeanor had changed, and in 
the place of her defiance came an attitude of supplica- 
tion. 


The Search Warrant. 


67 

^'Spare my boy!'’ she implored. ‘‘Oh, Jonathan Trask, 
is it not enough that you have robbed us of his father? 
Nick! Nick! I want you!" 

In answer to that pleading cry the boy charcoal-burner, 
regardless of the man guarding him, bounded to the side 
of his mother, Mr. Smith and all the rest following him. 

“Let them enter if they must, mother," said Nick. 
“Whatever they may find, we are innocent." 

Without another word, she stepped aside, when the 
officer and his companions entered the dingy abode, which 
presented a more uninviting appearance within than with- 
out, if that were possible. 

Moving rapidly about the unpretentious quarters, as if 
anxious to have their unpleasant duty over as speedily 
as possible, the men had soon rummaged every part of the 
dwelling, overturning and piling promiscuously together 
such furniture as it contained. Still their search was in 
vain, and Sheriff Trask showed his disappointment on his 
stern features. 

“Well, this is only a beginning. Ha ! have you found 
anything, Morris ?" 

The sharp eye of one of the selectmen had been at- 
tracted by the imprints of a hand in the dust surrounding 
a flat rock that formed one corner of the hearth floor. 
Raising the granite slab, something bright and glistening 
caught the gaze of the three men. 


68 The Search Warrant. 

‘‘You have made a discovery, Morris; what have you 
found 

“If you will wait until I tear away this old cloth 
wrapped about them, 1 will tell you. It is spoons — 
more of those belonging to the Locke lot, stolen by Nick 
Bleak. And here are the balance, I should say, of grand- 
mother's beads." 

“We're in luck!" exclaimed the sheriff. “I told you we 
should find something worth looking for if we didn't find 
our man. What else is there ?" 

After a vigorous search, the selectman was obliged to 
say that he could find nothing more. 

“The rest must be around here, and we won't go away 
till we find it. Look here, Nick Bleak, show us where the 
rest is hidden, it is the best thing you can do. Show 
us the hiding-place of the rest of the stolen property, and 
tell us where we shall find Black Daniels, and I promise 
that you shall not be molested." 

“Mr. Trask," replied Nick, speaking firmly, though in 
a low tone, “I do not know where Uncle Irum is, and if 
I did I would not tell you." 

“But we can arrest you if we choose, and, as true as I 
know my name, we will unless you reveal all you know." 

“I have no more to tell, sir. The spoons and the beads 
I found in the cave on Blake's Hill ledge. I ought not 


The Search Warrant. 69 

to have brought them here, for I did not intend to keep 
them. I did not know whom they belonged to.” 

“A likely story. But what were you going to do with 
them?” 

'‘I — I think I should have carried them back to the 
cave. I know I ” 

'That is sufficient. We have not the time to listen to 
your twaddle. Let the search go on, men.” 


CHAPTER X. 


MORE TROUBLE. 

Not only was the home' of the Bleaks searched by the 
sheriff and his companions, but every dwelling in the 
isolated village. But nothing was found to reward them 
for their trouble. Neither was any trace discovered of 
Black Daniels. 

Sheriff Trask showed his disappointment, but finally, 
to the great relief of all in the valley, he and his com- 
panions left the place. 

Miss Spencer had remained until after their departure, 
not knowing that she was doing right in staying thus, but 
finding it hard work to leave. 

“You see how it is,’’ said Nick; “they are all down on 
us. If I should go to your school it would break it all up. 
No; I am only the son of Old Nick, and everything is 
against me.” 

Miss Spencer spoke cheerfully to him, and before she 
left she had the satisfaction of seeing him in a more hope- 
ful state of mind. 

“I do not believe Mr. Trask will trouble you again, and 
when you have got your coal off you will feel quite rich. 


More Trouble. 


71 


But it is getting to be nearly night, and I must leave you. 
Remember you are to let Bell come to school, if you can- 
not/' 

Nick thanked her for her kind words, and even his 
mother, whose countenance wore a habitual melancholy, 
lightened for a moment. 

''It must be dreadful to live like that," declared Ver- 
non, as the little party paused at the summit of the hill 
to take a farewell look at the lonely homes of the out- 
casts. 

The yellow hues of autumn had fallen on field and 
forest, and the solitary grain field, denuded now of its 
harvest, looked sere and barren. Half-a-dozen scrubby 
apple trees formed a group on one side of the valley, and 
one, larger than the rest, was heavily laden with fruit, 
the red cheeks of the pippins sparkling in the golden 
haze of the mellow sunlight like so many bright jewels in 
a brown and green setting. Further away, on the hill- 
side, the variegated foliage of the birches and maples 
formed a beautiful frame for the vale nestling at its feet. 
The shrill tones of an August cricket broke the silence of 
the scene. 

Miss Spencer's gaze had nearly made the circuit of the 
place, when she was surprised to see the figure of a man 
slowly rise from what had appeared to be a pile of sods 
heaped up, as if in readiness to be used on one of the 


More Trouble. 


72 

kilns. He was a tall, powerful-framed man, and even at 
that distance she could see that his hair and beard were 
of a jet-black hue, while his skin looked uncommonly 
dark. 

As he rose to his feet his head was thrust forward in 
the attitude of one listening intently, and his gaze swiftly 
swept the surrounding scene. As if satisfied with the 
cautious glance, he then boldly stepped from his covert, 
shaking his powerful form to free his clothes of the dirt 
that clung to them, very much as a huge mastiff shakes 
itself upon emerging from a pool of water. Without 
further delay, he moved rapidly across the clearing in the 
direction of the home of the Bleaks, behind whose walls 
he soon disappeared. 

''It is Black Daniels!” whispered Vernon, who had also 
seen the outlaw. "Doesn’t he look ugly enough to kill 
anybody ?” 

Miss Spencer’s thoughts were too busy for her to reply, 
for the words of Nick Bleak had come unbidden into her 
mind : "I do not know where Uncle Irum is.” Had her 
hero lied? Then, with this suspicion fixed in her mind, 
came another question: Had he told the truth of the 
stolen property found in his house? 

"Is this Black Daniels, as you call him, an actual rela- 
tive of Nick Bleak? I have not heard of any other by 
that name among the coal-burners,” 


More Trouble. 


73 

‘'He’s an uncle to young Nick. He married Mrs. 
Bleak’s sister, so I have been told. She is dead, I think.” 

“Then he is not a blood relative,” and Miss Spencer felt 
a gladness for this fact that she could not well explain. 
“We must hasten on our way, or we shall find ourselves 
belated in the woods, which I do not imagine would be a 
very desirable situation.” 

The journey home was made in almost entire silence, 
as Miss Spencer was at a loss what to say, while her com- 
panions did not feel like breaking in upon her deep medi- 
tations. 

“Well, Ada,” said Mrs. Veasey at the tea table, “what 
do you think of the charcoal-burners of the Narrows 
now ?” 

“It is too bad for people to live in this civilized country 
in the manner they do,” was her rather evasive reply, 

“They are making their own beds. It is strange, folks 
should fall so low. I have been told that Grandfather 
Bleak was quite a man, and old Cyrus Blare used to 
preach occasionally. But that is nothing strange for a 
Blare, as a sort of religious streak runs through the whole 
family. Why, Uncle Joe Blare, if I am not mistaken, is 
holding one of his revivals at the Iron Works now, and 
he is as bad as any of them, only more sly. Singular, he 
can’t read a word, but he knows the Bible by heart, and 
can preach a sermon the best of our ministers might 


74 


More Trouble. 


envy. As I have told you, all of the Blares have a won- 
derful gift of gab. By the way, I heard this afternoon 
that Sheriff Trask, of the Center, is looking for Black 
Daniels. He'll get him^ too, if the scamp is really in 
these parts, which I do not believe. There has been a 
robbery at the Pond, and Black Daniels is supposed to 
have done it." 

To this long speech Miss Spencer made no reply. In 
fact, she did not know what to say. Somehow she did 
not have the courage to acknowledge that she had seen 
the hunted man within an hour, yet she wondered what 
would be thought of her silence should the truth become 
known. To her surprise, neither of the boys with her at 
the time had betrayed the secret, out of respect to what 
they imagined were her wishes. 

Meanwhile, the charcoal-burners had got done talking 
of their visitors that afternoon, though thoughts of them 
were still in their minds. Nick, however, was thinking 
more of the beautiful school teacher, who had dared to 
come into the midst of him and his associates with her 
friendly manners, than of Sheriff Trask and his com- 
panions, though the officer's coming portended him 
trouble in the near future, if not immediately. 

It was already dark, but he knew that he could hope for 
little rest that night, as his kilns would demand all of his 
attention. He was at work upon the one where Luther 


More Trouble. 


75 

Swayne had come so near losing his life, when he was 
joined by his uncle. 

''I thought you were going away, Uncle Irum,’' he said. 
'‘You can't realize the danger you are running in staying 
here longer. Only think how near you came to being 
caught this afternoon. I don’t know what I should have 
done if I had known you were actually here in hiding 
then.” 

“Well, that’s over, Nick, an’ this is the safes’ place I 
could find now. Lightning, you know, never strikes in 
the same spot twice. But that ain’t whut I come out to 
say. Thet kiln is ready for drawin’, an’ if you say th’ 
word I’ll take hoi’ an’ help you do it this very night.” 

“I have thought of beginning at midnight. I have got 
to keep on the lookout anyway. Dave says he’ll help, and 
I believe he will.” 

Future events would seem to indicate that the decision 
was a sort of inspiration, and, with the help of Black 
Daniels, before sunrise the coal lay in encircling piles 
around what had been the bed of the kiln. 

“It’s a good lot,” declared Nick, with a feeling of pride. 
“Now, to-day I must draw the other, and to-morrow I 
shall be ready to start with a load for the market.” 

The outlawed Black Daniels did not dare to leave the 
hut during the day, and he slept most of the time. But 
two of the other men took hold and helped Nick, which, 


76 More Trouble. 

with what the boys, Breck and Bell, could do, enabled 
him to get it all laid in similar shape to the first kiln by 
four o’clock. 

''I think there will be fully three hundred bushels,” and 
the boy coal-burner felt an honest pride in his work. 
“Hilloa, Bub ! what is the trouble with you, and what did 
Mr. Thrasher say about letting his team go off with a 
load day after to-morrow ?” 

'‘He says it won’t be so he can go, Nick. But that 
ain’t the wuss I’ve heard. Joel Carpenter is going to 
send Sheriff Trask up here to-morrow morning to take 
all your coal toward paying that bill father owed him.” 

"Take my coal? what do you mean, Bub? You’re jok- 
ing now !” 

"I ain’t, Nick. I overheard Mr. Carpenter tell Fletch 
Sterns that he should have sent the sheriff here to-day if 
he had been at home, and Mr. Sterns said, 'Good! Go 
ahead ! It will work like a pin, and you’ll be so 
much in.’ ” 

Nick Bleak was unable to speak for several minutes, for 
the startling news took away his last hope. 

"Where were you, Bub, when you heard this? Did 
they know you overheard them?” 

"No. I was taking a short cut home after seeing Mr. 
Thrasher, and, coming through Mr. Sterns’ orchard, I 
heard some one coming, so I skulked into a clump oi 


More Trouble. 


77 


bushes to get out of their sight. I overheard them talk- 
ing as they went past. Carpenter used a long word — 
something like ‘tachment.' Oh, I know they are in 
earnest, and that Sterns is putting him up to it. You 
are going to lose your coal after all, Nick. Isn't it 
orful?" 


CHAPTER XI. 
nick's DIFFICUIvT work. 

‘'What is that Bub is sayin', Nick?" asked Mrs. Bleak, 
who had overheard a part of what had been said. “Mr. 
Carpenter is going to put an attachment on your coal ?" 

“Yes, mother, as soon as the sheriff gets home. He'll 
be here in the morning, early, for Jont Trask doesn't sleep 
much with such a job as that on hand. He does it on a 
bill that father owed Joel Carpenter. Can he do it?" 

“Oh, dear ! I s'pose he can, you being a minor. What 
will you do now? Small chance there will be for you to 
pay Fletch Sterns. You might as well give up. I tell 
you, Nick, when everybody is down on you, 'tain’t any 
use. Your father might have been quite a man, but 
everybody was down on him 'cos he was a Bleak. An’ 
now they all pick at you 'cos you're the son of Old Nick. 
Set the coal afire an' let it burn ! You can cheat 'em in 
that way," and the old, revengeful spirit of her nature 
showed in her looks as well as words. 

“Never, mother! Too much of such work has been 
done by the Blares and Bleaks. I'm going straight in 
this." 


Nick’s Difficult Work. 


79 


‘'And lose all your work for your pains. You ain’t got 
any of the spunk of the Blares erbout you or you wouldn’t 
submit to sich an outrage.” 

“I hope I have got enough of the better nature of the 
Blares to do what is right. If father really owes Mr. 
Carpenter a bill, it shall be paid some time, but I don’t 
want to be used in this way. It’s Fletch Sterns that’s 
putting him up to it, and he’s doing it so I sha’n’t be able 
to pay them taxes and save our home. But I’ll beat ’em 
yet.” 

“Only way you can do it is to burn th’ plaguey coal ; 
I’ll leave it to Irum here if ’tain’t.” 

“Of course it is, an’ ef you don’t care to do it. I’ll set 
her a blazin’ in a minnit.” 

“No — no. Uncle Irum! I’ll save that coal somehow, 
and pay my bills.” 

“How?” and not one but a dozen asked the question. 

It will be readily seen that the son of Old Nick — and I 
call my hero that with no disrespect — had his most 
dangerous battle to fight right at home. It was there, 
among those who should have stood manfully by him, 
that he was most likely to fail. But I am inclined to deal 
charitably with his mother, remembering, as I do, the 
temptations and animosities that environed her. Hers 
was a misguided, misspent life. For Black Daniels I 
have little, if any, extenuation. 


8o 


Nick’s Difficult Work. 


In that trying moment Nick called his brother Bell, 
Breck Shingle, and another by the name of Tom Blare 
aside for a consultation. 

‘'Boys,’’ began Nick, “you know what is threatening us. 
Now, while I don’t want to cheat Mr. Carpenter out of 
an honest debt, something has got to be done to save us 
that coal.” 

“Tell us what you want done, Nick, and we will help 
you,” said Bell, and the others heartily seconded his 
words. 

“I see but one thing for us to do. That coal has got 
to be pulled into Portsmouth before the sheriff can get 
his hands on it !” 

“What! before morning? Why, it’s over thirty miles 
to Portsmouth, and we haven’t got a speck loaded nor a 
team to draw with.” 

“I know it, and the worst yet is that it isn’t safe to 
move it so soon on account of its getting on fire. But, in 
spite of all that, we must and will do it.” 

His mother and Black Daniels had come near enough 
to hear these words, and in a moment they entered into 
the spirit of the movement, there being that element about 
it that appealed to their natures. Others caught up the 
idea, but Nick instantly checked all manifestations of ex- 
citement. 

“Hold on! You must all do I’ust as I say, or we shall 


Nick^s Difficult Work. 


8i 


fail. In the first place, it will never do to touch a lump 
of coal until after dark, for if any one should ketch onto 
our plan our game would be up. But we can and must 
get the carts and teams all ready. That can be done at 
once/’ 

Here was where the real difficulty came in, for only 
two old horses were owned by them. As they had no 
cart suitable to hold as much as the two horses in double 
harness could draw, Nick was obliged to see that two 
single wagons were rigged up for these animals. 

“Them horses can draw fifty bushels apiece, which will 
make one hundred. We have got to get teams to draw 
the rest. I will look after them while the rest of you 
get the two single teams ready, and keep a sharp lookout 
that the coal doesn’t break out on fire.” 

Nick knew that in getting the teams he had got to 
work with extreme caution so as not to arouse the sus- 
picions of outsiders ; hence he did not dare to trust any of 
the others — not even Bell — to look after them. 

A man by the name of Morrison, living on the Blake’s 
Hill road, had drawn a two-horse load for him early in 
the summer, and he resolved to see him first. 

The sun was then about half-an-hour high, and he 
found Mr. Morrison driving his cows home from pasture. 
Himself a man who had been the world over, and seen 
much of the dark side of life, he was inclined to be quite 


82 


Nick’s Difficult Work. 


friendly to Nick, so the latter was not surprised to be 
greeted with the exclamation: 

''Hullo, Nick Bleak! I was just thinking of you, and 
wondering if I hadn’t better come down and see you. 
Got your coal drawed, I hear.” 

"Yes, sir,” replied Nick, without thinking to ask him 
how he had received his information so soon after the 
work had been completed, "and I have come up to see if 
you will take a load to Portsmouth for me. You shall 
be paid out of the money I get for it there, so you’ll not 
have to take any risk about getting your pay.” 

"Oh, shucks!” was the inelegant reply. "I ain’t one 
of those fellows who is always worrying about my pay. 
Never lost a cent either by Tom, Dick, or Harry. When 
do you want me to go with a load?” 

This was the delicate part of his errand, and Nick hesi- 
tated in regard to the manner in which he should state 
his wishes. It was a question as to how far he could 
trust the other with his secret. Though startling him 
with his abrupt declaration, the other quickly opened the 
way for him by saying: 

"Perhaps if you knew what was on foot you would not 
have taken the trouble to see me.” 


CHAPTER XIL 


A WILD TEAM. 

Stopping a moment, as if to enjoy Nick’s look of 
amazement, Mr. Morrison resumed : 

'T don’t suppose it is just the square thing for me to do, 
and yet, under the circumstances, it is as wide for you as 
it is long for thefh. Nick, I am afraid you won’t have 
any coal for me to draw. Carpenter means to fasten 
onto it in the morning. He would have done it to-day if 
Trask had not been oif scouring Strafford for Black 
Daniels.”* 

‘T have heard of it,” was the calm rejoinder. '‘He is 
going to do it to recover one of father’s debts. At least, 
he says father owes him.” 

"So that’s the way the squirrel sits, is it? It’s a mean 
trick to play on you. It is a shame for any boy to be 
made to meet his father’s obligations.” 

"Fletch Sterns is putting him up to it. You know I 
was to pay the taxes with the money I got, and he doesn’t 
want me to for some reason.” 

"Whew ! worse and worse. I thought Carpenter wasn’t 
the man to start out on that. I can tell you why Sterns 


84 


A Wild Team. 


wants to hold onto that deed of your place. It’s on ac- 
count of that timberland running oif toward the moun- 
tain. I heard him say that was worth more than a thou- 
sand dollars. I wonder that he promised to let you have 
the privilege to pay up.” 

‘^He didn’t think I’d have the money, and, now I’m 
likely to, he’s trying some other way to beat me. Will 
the collector’s deed hold a piece of property?” 

”It is so considered, and in that case, if Mr. Sterns 
finally concludes not to let you pay up, he’ll have you 
fast where you can’t help yourself. However, I wish to 
say for your benefit that I heard the whole matter dis- 
cussed at the store the other day by a dozen or more, and 
Captain Coe, who knows more law than any man in these 
parts, said positively that he had never known a col- 
lector's deed to hold in court. Rut, of course, you can- 
not go to law.” 

‘'Of course not, but I don’t want to let that coal go in 
that way. And I’m not going to if I have a friend to 
help me out.” 

“Tell me what you want me to do.” 

“I want you to go to Portsmouth with a load to-night,” 
replied Nick, boldly. 

“Whew! Ha — ha! I see your game!” slapping Nick 
on the shoulder. “Well, sir, the ends justify the means, 
and I and my horses are at your disposal. I can draw a 


A Wild Team. 


85 


hundred bushels, and if you want me to, ten or fifteen 
more. I’ll have so much safe and snug in Portsmouth 
before Mr. John Trask wakes up. Have you made any 
arrangements for the rest?” 

“Our horses can draw a hundred bushels, and there 
will be three hundred in all.” 

“Making it necessary for you to get another team 
capable of drawing a hundred bushels. Pll tell you where 
you can get it. Drew has four cattle in Osgood’s pas- 
ture that he has promised to let me have whenever I 
wanted them, and I’ll sub-let them to you. I have an ox 
hayrick that we can fix up in an hour so it will hold all 
you can draw. But before we go any further, I want 
to ask you one question: Am I right in supposing you 
get your pay in Portsmouth ?” 

“Yes, sir. I am paid as soon as the coal is unloaded.” 

“That makes it all safe. I knew the man you sold to 
lives in Lee, and I thought if you had got to come back 
to his place for your money Trask could slip in ahead of 
you after all. But, if nothing happens, we will have the 
coal in Portsmouth and the money in your pocket before 
Mr. Trask appears on the scene. Then let him whistle 
and know that for once he was outwitted.” 

Mr. Morrison, leaving the milking of the cows to some 
one else, at once lent his assistance to Nick, and a little 
after dark they had the hayrick in readiness to hold a 


86 


A Wild Team. 


hundred bushels of coal. He then began to look after 
his horses, so as to have them ready to harness by nine 
o’clock, it being agreed that they should begin to load at 
ten. 

Nick returned to his home to get his supper, and also 
to have Bell and Bub go with him to help find and yoke 
the oxen. 

This last proved to be a longer and more trying task 
than might have been expected. The pasture contained 
over two hundred acres, considerable of it covered with 
bushes, so the boys had an extended search to find the 
cattle. In fact, as loth as he was to do so, Nick had con- 
cluded that they could not be found, when they were 
gladdened by the sight of four creatures lying under the 
edge of a pine growth. 

These proved to be nearer steers than oxen, for one 
pair could not have been over three, and the other of four 
years of age. 

''They can’t be the ones Mr. Morrison sent us to get, 
but, as they are the only ones in the pasture, we must 
take them. Let’s drive them down to the yokehouse as 
fast as possible, as it must now be past ten o’clock.” 

But the steers soon showed that they were difficult to 
manage, and it must have been an hour later before they 
had succeeded in getting home with their steer team. 
They had been obliged to "corner” them to put the yokes 


A Wild Team. 87 

on them^ and even then their troubles had but begun. 
Still, they did manage to hitch them to the hayrick and 
to drive them to the coal kilns. 

Mr. Morrison had not only got there, but had loaded 
his cart, assisted by the others, Black Daniels being care- 
ful to keep out of sight. The latter had helped load the 
two one-horse carts, so the three teams were ready to 
start some time before Nick and his brothers arrived 
with the cattle. 

‘'Jumping junipers!'’ exclaimed the surprised Mr. Mor- 
rison, “where did you get that steer team? Why, there 
isn’t but one there that ever had a yoke on him before. 
They are as wild as hawks, and you can never get to 
Portsmouth with them in the world.” 

“They were the only creatures in the pasture,” said 
Nick. “Perhaps they will tame down a little after we 
get a load to them.” 

“Tame the hurricane! But I suppose you must try 
them. The rest of us will wait until you have got loaded 
before we start. We can get there then before you do; 
that is, I suppose you will drive the steers, Nick?” 

“I think I shall have to, though I had intended to let 
Breck take the ox team.” 

Many hands made light work of loading, so in less 
than half-an-hour they were all in readiness to start, the 


88 


A Wild Team. 


four teams carrying three hundred and ten bushels, all 
there was. 

Black Daniels had decided to accompany one of the 
single horse loads, to be driven by Tom Blare; so it was 
arranged for this to start last, Mr. Morrison leading the 
way. 

The other single team, driven by Breck Shingle, fol- 
lowed him, when Nick prepared to start with his steer 
team, he having called upon Bell and two others to assist 
him, at least until he had got out to the main road. 

But Nick hadn't gone three rods with his team before 
the leaders suddenly wheeled around on the off side, and 
those on the pole came to a sudden standstill. Then the 
one on the near side turned half way, and, throwing his 
head down, brought the yoke upside down and the whole 
lot in a hopeless tangle. 

As startling as this situation was, however, Tom Blare 
was meeting with a worse experience, for he had not got 
more than fairly started before his load burst out into a 
flame ! 


CHAPTER XIII. 


DESPERATE ALTERNATIVES. 

*Tt never rains but it pours/’ runs an old adage, and 
it would truly seem that such a state of affairs had over- 
taken the coal-drawers. A more exciting scene could not 
well be imagined. 

Nick heard Tom’s wild cry of alarm, and he saw that a 
fire had burst out in the coal — a danger he had feared 
from the first. Usually coal is allowed to remain on the 
bed two days before it is loaded or housed. But, of 
course, under the circumstances, this had been impossible. 

“There are fifty bushels gone!” cried Nick, as he tried 
to quiet the team. “Whoa 1 Keep the leaders still. Bell, 
if possible. Look out there, Sam, on the off side, or we 
shall all be piled up in a heap.” 

Meanwhile the fire had burst out on the single load 
with such a crackling and roaring that the horse, though 
old and ordinarily steady, received such a fright it 
bounded pell-mell down the valley in spite of Tom, who 
was sawing upon its bit for all he was capable of doing. 

“Whoa!” yelled the terrified driver. “Stop him, some- 
body, or I shall be killed!” 


90 Desperate Alternatives. 

Mr. Morrison and the other single team were beyond 
hearing of the furious rattling and shouting, and it was 
better so, perhaps. It was equally fortunate that Black 
Daniels was with Tom, else I am sure the affair would 
have turned out far worse. 

Finding that the animal was beyond the control of his 
young driver. Black Daniels caught upon the reins just 
as the top of the summit overlooking the descent to the 
pole bridge was reached. At that moment a flaw of wind 
whipped the flames into a sort of spiral column, which 
rose high into the air — a grand yet terrible spectacle to 
the eye-witnesses in the valley. 

Feeling that they were lost, Tom Blare, with a loud 
scream, leaped from his seat, flying heels over head into 
the bushes bordering the roadway. 

‘Whoa shouted the burly driver, throwing all of his 
great power upon the reins, which were fortunately 
strong enough to withstand the big strain thus suddenly 
brought to bear upon them. The horse felt the strength 
upon its bit, and, with a snort, fell back upon its 
haunches. 

“Easy there,’’ said Daniels, letting up on his hold, 
knowing that to stop there on the height was worse than 
keeping on into the valley. 

At the foot of the hill, a short distance on that side of 
the bridge, was a well-worn path leading down to the 


Desperate Alternatives. 91 

stream where their owners had long been in the habit of 
leading the horses to drink, and no sooner had Black 
Daniels seen this than he decided upon the best course for 
him to pursue. 

Holding a steady rein on the animal, without checking 
its speed, he guided the creature straight toward this 
narrow opening, and, upon reaching it, allowed it to dash 
madly ahead — down the bank into the river ! 

It was a desperate alternative, but his .only hope. The 
wagon lurched so that it seemed for a time that it must 
tip over, but, throwing his weight upon the upper side, 
the rider soon felt it righting itself, and the next moment 
the level bottom of the stream was reached. 

The water came to the body of the cart, but, heading 
the horse squarely down stream, Black Daniels sang out 
sharply : 

^Whoa!’’ 

With the water splashing about it, the animal quickly 
came to a standstill. 

No sooner was this accomplished than Daniels leaped 
down from his high seat, and caught up the pail car- 
ried for the purpose of watering and feeding the horse. 
With this he began to dash the water upon the burning 
coal, and so effectually did he work that in a short time 
he had checked the breaking out of the flames. 

Help was near at hand, Some of the inhabitants of the 


92 


Desperate Alternatives. 


Birches having followed the runaway as fast as they 
could. These gave such assistance as they could toward 
extinguishing the flames, until it was thought safe to 
drive out of the river. 

To find a place where the bank could be ascended it 
was necessary to follow down the stream for some dis- 
tance, when the undertaking was performed successfully. 

‘‘By George !” exclaimed Tom Blare, who had kept 
close behind the cart, “if it hadn’t been for Uncle Irum 
(Black Daniels bore the same relationship to Tom that 
he did to Nick) I wouldn’t have given much for that load 
of coal. I was scart to death, an’ flummuxed heels over 
head inter the brush. Fact, but ’tain’t every one would 
own it. Shall we save th’ coal, Uncle Irum?” 

“It’ll shrink some, I reckon, an’ it'll hev to be over- 
hauled. Come, pitch in, an’ we’ll make short work of it.” 

While all this was taking place, in less time, perhaps, 
than I have been in describing it, Nick Bleak and his as- 
sistants were having an equally exciting time. The re- 
fractory steers were making them all the trouble it seemed 
possible. 

One of the most aggravating creatures to handle is a 
sullen, unbroken steer, and the most provoking thing he 
can do is to turn his yoke, as I know from experience. 
The mates to this one were doing their worst to try their 


Desperate Alternatives. 93 

would-be master, but the nigh one of the pair on the pole 
outdid them. 

Three times when Bell and the other had succeeded in 
bringing the leaders into line, this obstinate brute leaped 
swiftly forward, threw his head under the pole, and 
dropped flat upon the ground, and in such a manner that 
the yoke was turned bottom side up. 

With what patience he could command, Nick worked 
with the obdurate steer, until for the third time he had 
got him around into proper position. 

No sooner had this been accomplished than the four, 
with loud bellows, leaped furiously down the road, and 
up the ascent as if the cart behind them was empty. Bell 
had caught upon the bow of the near forward steer, so he 
managed to keep alongside, while Nick had not allowed 
those behind to escape him. 

There was no possibility of stopping them at the top 
of the hill, and, realizing something what this wild run- 
away of four untamed steers plunging down a smart de- 
scent, with a hundred bushels of coal behind them, meant, 
Nick Bleak fairly gasped for breath, but managed to shout 
to his brother : 

‘‘Hold to ’em, Bell, but look out they don’t throw you.” 


CHAPTER XIV. 


TWO STARTLING DISCOVERIES. 

Black Daniels, with such assistance as the others gave 
him, had overhauled the coal in the cart, drawn by the 
single horse, so Tom and he were ready to resume their 
journey before Nick had succeeded in getting his steer 
team started. 

Several bushels of coal had been burned, but, on the 
whole, they had come out of the adventure far better 
than could have been expected. 

‘'Might as well be movin’ on, Tom,” declared the out- 
law, who, if the truth be told, was anxious to get away 
from that locality as soon as possible. 

Tom could see no need of their stopping longer, and so, 
without more delay, they drove on. 

It was well for the purpose of Nick Bleak that the road 
necessary for his team to follow turned off from the main 
highway leading through the Narrows a short distance 
before coming in sight of that village, so there was little 
danger of being discovered by any of the people living 
there. 

Mr. Morrison and the other single team had no doubt 


The whole lot in a hopeless tangle.” See page 88 








Two Startling Discoveries. 95 

safely passed the comer, and were well on their way by 
this time. 

Accordingly, Tom and his companion jogged quietly 
along in good spirits, happily for their peace of mind ig- 
norant of the fact that two pairs of watchful eyes were 
looking upon them with open-mouthed wonder. And 
these spies were none other than that mischievous twain 
whose names I need not give. 

How they happened to be there can be explained in a 
few words. Vastly Sterns had been spending the even- 
ing with his friend, and staying until that late hour, was 
afraid to go home alone. He had not told his parents 
that he intended to stay away all night, so he dared not 
remain longer. In this dilemma he had persuaded Virgil 
to go home with him and stop until morning. 

They had heard the grinding of loaded wheels, and 
come to a stop a short distance back from the corner. 

‘'Who can be on the road at this time of night? Look, 
Virgil ! it is one of the charcoal burners^ teams.’' 

“Yes; and that is Tom Blare driving. But who is that 
beside him ? Why, I believe it is Black Daniels I” 

“It is Black Daniels !” said his companion. “He’s run- 
ning off in the night ! So he is in these parts, after all.” 

The sight so astonished the boys that they did not move 
until the coal team had disappeared down the road. 

“We mustn’t stand here,” said Vastly. “We must 


g6 Two vStartling Discoveries. 

arouse the people as soon as possible. Let’s- go home and 
tell father. You know there is a reward offered for Black 
Daniels, and if we are the means of his capture, we shall 
get it.” 

Thus, instead of doing the more reasonable thing of 
going back and alarming the inhabitants of the village, 
tliey ran toward Blake’s Hill at the top of their speed, for 
Fletcher Sterns lived at the top of this hill. But if this 
was not the wisest course for them to follow, it might 
prove the most effectual, for no man would do more to 
frustrate the escape of the outlaw and the plans of Nick 
Bleak than Fletcher Sterns. 

With the prospect of his long journey before him, while 
not dreaming of the interference that was likely to take 
place before it was ended, Tom Blare soon began to weary 
of his task. His companion was continually humming a 
low ditty, but did not seem inclined to talk much, though 
he finally rallied to say ; 

‘‘Well, I s’pose, Tom, I shall never look on these old 
hills ag’in. I don’t know as I shall miss ’em much, but I 
shall miss ’em more’n I shall ’em as live on ’em.” 

“Are you goin’ so very far away, uncle?” asked Tom, 
glad to begin a conversation. 

“Fur? Well, I should say so. Why, boy! I’m goin’ 
to cross th’ ocean. I’m goin’ to South Ameriky.” 


Two Startling Discoveries. 97 

the ocean so very wide, then, uncle, and is South 
Ameriky so very far away?” 

‘'Where’s yer jografy, boy? Seems to me you hain’t 
paid th’ ’tention to it yer oughter fer a boy 6’ yer age.” 

This touched Tom so sharply that to change the drift 
of the talk he asked : 

“Did you really break into that house at th’ Pond, 
uncle ?” 

“Who said I did? Td like to git th’ feller by th’ col- 
lar that started th’ story. I was twenty miles from th’ 
place when it was done. But thet don’t count. A feller 
with a black mark ag’in his name is no better than a dead 
dog. But look yonder ! an’t that a hoss and wagon com- 
ing, or do these old eyes of mine deceive me?” 

“It is a team. Who can be out this time of night? It 
is a white hoss, and Sheriff Trask drives a white hoss 
part of the time !” he added, beginning to move uneasily 
on his seat. 

“If it is the sheriff, I hev got to look sharp. I believe 
it is — I am sure of it!” 


CHAPTER XV. 


RUNNING THE GANTLET. 

Looking across the valley from the summit of the hill 
they had gained to a corresponding height in the distance, 
both Tom Blare and his Uncle Irum could distinguish 
quite plainly, in the starlight, the outlines of the approach- 
ing horse and wagon. Ay, as has been said, they could 
see that the animal was white, and that it was being urged 
on at a rapid pace. 

'The chances are more’n even thet Sheriff Trask is 
holdin’ ’em reins,” declared Black Daniels, "an’ I an’t in 
a mood to take enny chances just now. I wonder how I 
shall outwit him. Ha ! I know what I’ll do. Keep peg- 
gin’ ahead, for if you should stop, he’d mistrust some- 
thing, but move slow, while I kiver.” 

While Tom did as he was directed, the outlaw began 
to dig a trench along the middle of the load of coal, using 
his hands for a shovel. A two-bushel basket to handle 
the coal in was on the cart, and this he half buried, bot- 
tom up, near the seat. Then he stretched his burly figure 
along in the hollow he had scooped out, thrusting his head 
into the basket. 


Running tlie Gantlet. 


99 


‘^Kiver me up, Tom, an^ look sharp thet no part of me 
shows. Don’t leave enny ridge or hump in the coal, 
either. I can breathe through the basket if I am kivered 
quite deep.” 

Hanging the reins on the corner of the seat, so the 
horse could keep moving ahead, Tom did as he was re- 
quested, finishing his work in good shape and returning 
to his seat before the owner of the white horse drove into 
plain sight. 

It was well for the fugitive that this meeting took place 
in the vallley between the hills, and where it was quite 
dark. Tom Blare felt his heart almost stop its beating as 
he saw the late driver was Sheriff Trask, and that he was 
pulling up his horse. 

‘'Hold on !” called out the officer, sharply ; “who are you 
abroad at this time of night ?” 

Tom pulled hard on the bit, but his answer was not in- 
telligible. 

The sheriff was directly abreast of him, and as the road 
was narrow, he could have easily touched the shoulder of 
the young driver of the coal cart by reaching out his left 
hand. 

“Some of the blamed charcoal burners, of the Nar- 
rows!” exclaimed Mr. Trask, seeing enough to satisfy 
himself of that fact. “How far are you drawing your 
coal?” 


LoFC.i 


zoo Running the Gantlet. 

**To Portsmouth, sir,’' Tom managed to mutter, and he 
felt a breath of relief to see the other's horse move im- 
patiently on. 

“Whoa, Jim! Say, youngster, have you seen anything 
of Black Daniels to-night? Mind you and tell the truth.” 

'*He isn't at the Narrows, sir,” replied Tom, truthfully. 
'T expect he's a long way from there.” 

^Wou do, do you ?” said the sheriff, allowing his horse 
to plunge ahead at a gait to suit itself, while Tom gladly 
clucked to his horse, and the rattle of the coal cart 
drowned the sound of carriage wheels. 

He had gone nearly half a mile before the begrimed 
figure of Black Daniels rose from the midst of the coal. 

“Yer did thet well, Tom," he declared, shaking as much 
as he could the dirt from his clothes ; “but 'twere a narrer 
squeak. We hev got to keep our eyes open.” 

Leaving them to pursue their long, lonely journey, let 
us return and see how it is faring with the drivers of the 
steer team, which we left plunging wildly down the Nar- 
rows hill beyond the control of its drivers. 

The rattle and thunder of the cart drowned Nick's ap- 
peal to his brother, but Bell did not need it to induce him 
to cling to his precarious position. In fact, to have done 
differently would have sent him headlong under the feet 
of the maddened steers. As I have described, the way 
was exceedingly rough, and twice he stumbled over the 


Running the Gantlet. 


lOI 


rocks strewing the path, to be dragged on by the run- 
aways ; but by holding fast upon the end of the bow, he 
succeeded in recovering his feet. 

Nick’s experience was similar to his, and while the 
creaking, groaning cart lurched to and fro, threatening 
to overturn at every plunge, it kept right side up and the 
steers in the middle of the road, until a 'more deafening 
crash told that the bridge had been reached. 

The most miraculous part of the adventure occurred 
here, for it was truly a wonder that the old structure did 
not break down, or that the load was not precipitated into 
the stream. But amid the wild confusion of sounds, the 
breadth of poles spanning the rocky depths was passed 
and the ascent of the hill beyond begun. 

Here, for the first time, the boys began to get an ad- 
vantage over their unruly team. The steers were loath to 
give up, and, leaping and snorting, they carried their bur- 
den up the ascent, though at a decreasing speed, until at 
the top they were glad to come to a standstill, completely 
out of breath. 

“Pat them. Bell, and make them think you are not 
going to hurt them,” said Nick. “I think we have got 
over the worst of it.” 

“I hope so. Do you know, Nick, my feet never touched 
ground but twice after we left that hill until we started up 
this.*’ 


102 


Running the Gantlet. 


“Perhaps three times, Bell, but that was an exciting 
time. Where is your hat 

‘'It got knocked off and trampled under the steers' feet. 
But I can go bareheaded." 

“I wonder how Tom has come out with his load." 

Some of the others coming up then, Nick learned that 
the one-horse load had gone on, as far as the spectators 
knew, in good shape. Better encouraged, the boys started 
their team ahead, finding the steers more tractable now. 

Fifteen minutes later the last sound of the grinding 
wheels had died out down on the lower road, so that the 
inhabitants of the Birches sought repose, and a nightly 
silence, more marked for the recent thrilling disturbance, 
settled over the Narrows. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


I.AST HOUR OF GRACE. 

The real workers of the charcoal burners of the Nar- 
rows being on their way to the market for their coal, it 
was not strange that no sign of life was apparent, except 
for half-a-dozen dogs, as a party of four men entered the 
valley that morning in the gray light of the breaking day. 

They were Sheriff Trask, Joel Carpenter, Fletcher 
Sterns, and another, who can be nameless. 

''Look!'' exclaimed Mr. Stern, "the coal is all gone. 
Vastly was right. You have made a pretty bungle of 
this, Trask." 

"None the more my fault. I have had all I could at- 
tend to for the past three days. If you had got me word 
sooner I would have been here in season. I am sure now 
it was one load of that coal I met on the road last night. 
If I had known then " 

"Well, nothing is made by 'ifing' around here!" de- 
clared Mr. Sterns, impatiently. "You must follow them 
to Portsmouth, if necessary, to save that coal. Don't you 
say so. Carpenter? Of course it is nothing to me." 

"Yes, foller them, Jont. You must get your work in 


104 


Last Hour of Grace. 


before they get paid for the coal. Til make it right with 
you. I calculate there will be enough coming to make a 
good night's work for us. Let's see, the coal goes to the 
navy yard. Where could they have got the teams to 
draw it all ?” 

“Frank Morrison went for one, and I believe he helped 
them to an ox team. You ought to be able to overtake 
that easily.’' 

“I want to know if Frank Morrison has mixed himself 
up with the Bleaks and Blares. Well, don’t lose any 
more time, Trask, but hustle for Portsmouth. You can 
catch up with that ox team before it gets to Newmarket. 
You will go with him. Carpenter?” 

“Yes, I think I had better.'’ 

“Better take your horse, too." 

“You must think a man is made of iron to go through 
what I have for the past three days. Sterns,” growled the 
officer. 

“Oh, well, a man in your position expects to meet with 
some hard knocks. You get paid for it. You have been 
mighty anxious to get your hands on Black Daniels, and 
now that I have put you on track of him, you show 
plaguey little interest. Is it so, Trask?” 

“I’ll see what can be done. Come, Joel, let’s be on our 
way.” 

At that very moment, so rapidly had he pushed on his 


Last Hour of Grace. 


105 


course, Frank Morrison was driving over long bridge just 
out of Portsmouth, while the single teams were less than 
a mile behind him. As surprising as it seemed, the 
steers having walked like horses, scarcely two miles far- 
ther in the rear, followed Nick and Bell, their team docile 
enough now. 

Most assuredly Jonathan Trask would have to ride far 
and fast to carry out the scheme of those who were the 
enemies of the young charcoal burner of the Narrows. 

It was an anxious day to those who remained at home, 
and toward the middle of the afternoon the children and 
Mrs. Bleak began to listen for the sound of wagon wheels 
which should proclaim the return of the absent ones. 

The sun’s last rays were ‘'making money"' of the spark- 
ling surface of Silver Pond, as their long vigilance was 
rewarded by the rumbling of an approaching wagon. 
Running out to meet the expected comer, they were some- 
what disappointed to find it was only Mr. Morrison. But 
he soon enlivened their hopes by saying : 

“Nick has come — he rode with me, leaving Bell to get 
the steers along, as he said he had got to pay Sterns to- 
night, and he was in fear it would be too late if he came 
with the others. Your horses are about tired out, so you 
needn’t look for the boys till toward morning. Oh, yes ; 
we got there in fine shape, and Nick and I, the money safe 
in his pocket, met Mr. Trask at Newmarket. There, 


io6 Last Hour of Grace. 

thought I would drive in and tell you that much, but I 
must get home and put up my horses. I tell you it is a 
long, hard drive to Portsmouth. Nick will be along in 
the course of an hour.’’ 

Nick had never felt in better spirits than he did when 
he approached the home of Mr. Sterns with the money in 
his pocket to pay up the taxes on his father’s property, 
and thus be able to feel that he had fairly recovered it. 

Everything about the farmhouse seemed unusually 
quiet, and when he rapped at the door it gave back that 
hollow, peculiar sound which comes from an empty 
building. 

'‘They have gone away !” he thought. 'T wonder what 
that means. The barn is locked, and everything looks as 
if they had gone to stay some time.” 

Hoping that the farmer would soon return, Nick seated 
himxself on the chopping block in the yard, to impatiently 
await his coming. From this elevated position he could 
look over a large circuit of country. Silver Pond shone 
with uncommon brilliancy in the dazzling rays of the set- 
ting sun, while farther away its twin mate rivaled its 
glory. The Narrows’ village was in plain sight, and 
above the other buildings the steeple of the little church 
pointed to the sky. It seemed strange to him for the 
first time in his life that he had never been inside the 
house of worship. Moving eastward, his eye soon rested 


Last Hour of Grace. 107 

on what looked like a dark patch on the landscape. It 
was the growth of pines, forming almost the sole worth 
of the fifty-odd acres of the estate of his father. 

‘^Mr. Morrison is right,” he mused; ^^it is that timber 
Mr. Sterns wants to keep in his hands. I believe he is 
staying on purpose so as not to see me, for this is my last 
day of grace.” 

He grew nervous, and began to walk back and forth in 
the yard, as he saw the silvery crescent formed by the 
birches growing on the hillside above the pines take on a 
hue of the evergreens under the shades of night, which 
swiftly succeeded the short autumn twilight. 


CHAPTER XVTI. 


A RICH man’s word. 

It must have been nine o’clock in the evening, and Nick;, 
no longer able to maintain his lonely vigil, was about to 
start for home^ when the sound of carriage wheels ar- 
rested his attention. 

‘Tt’s Mr. Sterns’ wagon!” he exclaimed, joyously. “I 
know the cluck of that axle too well to be mistaken.” 

If he needed further proof it was soon forthcoming by 
the entrance of the vehicle into the yard, and the stopping 
of the black horse in front of the piazza door. 

Mr. Sterns then alighted, and when he had assisted his 
wife from the carriage, Nick stepped forward, saying: 

‘'Good-evening, Mr. Sterns. I have come with the 
money to take up that collector's deed.” 

The farmer appeared too surprised to speak at first, but 
finally he managed to exclaim : 

“You here, Nick Bleak! What are such as you hang- 
ing around my buildings for at this time of night ? Look- 
ing to see what you could find to steal, I suppose!” 

“I have come with that money, sir. I ” 

“Money ! You don’t owe me any money, I am thank- 
ful to say. So get off my premises.” 


A Rich Man’s Word. 


109 


A less determined boy than Nick must have given up 
his object, but, beginning to realize what was portending, 
he boldly repeated : 

“I have come with the money to take up that deed. I 
have been ” 

“Pretty time to come fooling round about that. Your 
time was up this morning.” 

“To-day, sir. I have been here since before sunset. I 
have got the fifty dollars, the sum you demanded ” 

“You owe that to Joel Carpenter, and he is after it. If 
he’d been smart, he’d got his fist onto it before this time. 
So you have got the money for your coal, or did you 
steal ” 

“Sir, you’re using me mean. I have kept my word, 
and now I want you ” 

“Out of my yard, you miserable dog! If you came 
here to insult me with any such language, the quicker you 
get off my premises the better for you.” 

Nick Bleak, used as he was to all sorts of treatment, 
was dumfounded at this. He could not believe his own 
senses at first. He had always known that Fletcher 
Sterns was a man of little compassion for those who had 
not succeeded as well in life as he, but he had always been 
called honest, though close in his dealings. Finally he 
managed to say: 


no 


A Rich Man’s Word. 


''Mr. Sterns, is this the way you keep your promise? 
You said if I 

"You have heard what I have said to-night. That is 
sufficient, or would be if you had the brains of a cat. You 
have not kept your agreement with me in the least partic- 
ular, so any promise I may have made to you is crossed 
out. I hold a good title to the few worthless acres in 
your father's name. Go home, and know it is the last 
night you will ever occupy it. To-morrow I shall take 
possession." 

There was nothing more for the outcast to say. He 
knew that for him to save his poor home meant to fight 
the rich man in a lawsuit. It would be far better to be 
turned out of home at once than to resort to that measure. 
With a heavy heart he went to the humble abode that held 
all he knew dear of life. 

His mother met him at the door with a glad welcome, 
but, without replying, he flung himself upon a rude couch 
in the corner of the room and burst into tears. 

"Why, Nick," cried his alarmed mother, who seldom 
showed much emotion. "What's the matter? Frank 
said the coal went all right, so whut air you in sich a tiff 
for?" 

"It's all for nothing!" he exclaimed, springing up. 
"What's the use for me to work and slave myself, when 
everything is against me? Let me do ever so well, and 


A Ricli Man’s Word. 


Ill 


it’s flung in my face that I’m only the son of Old Nick. 
Let a rich man like Fletch Sterns lie, and it’s all right. 
He has lied to me, and I can prove it.” 

When he had become somewhat calmer, she learned 
the whole truth, to become then the one to yield to her 
passion. 

^‘So he won’t let yer hev yer own, will he? An’ after 
you hev slaved in th’ way you hev. Let me hev th’ money 
an’ I’ll burn it^ an’ then I’ll burn the house down, an’ I’ll 
set fire to th’ timber if thet is whut he’s a-wantin’. He 
shan’t hev a thing thet was an’ is Nick Bleak’s or Levi 
Blare’s. I’ll do ” 

The unreasonable anger of Nick’s mother was, perhaps, 
the best part that could have been acted then, for it 
quickly showed him his own weakness better than any- 
thing else could have done. He had been used to these 
outbursts all his life. He immediately began to pacify 
her. 

''We mustn’t do anything so foolish as that, mother. 
Mr. Sterns has showed himself in his true light, and he 
has got the best of us, as it looks. But we have been to 
blame. Folks thet are too shiftless to keep their taxes 
paid up ought to lose their property, I s’pose. I know I 
an’t worked as I ought to, but I have done better than the 
rest, and if father hadn’t ” 

He stopped suddenly, and his lip quivered as he asked : 


II2 


A Rich Man’s Word. 


“Mother, did father steal them thing^s at Grandmother 
Locke’s ?” 

“I don’t know an' I don't care. Nobody ever give us a 
fair show, ennyway.’' 

“There you are again, mother. But I do care. I do 
not believe father was guilty, and I’m going to clear his 
name. Yes; I’ll do it, and then it won’t be such a terri- 
ble thing to be called the son of Old Nick. There, cheer 
up, mother, I feel better already. We’ll come out better 
than it looks now. Mr. Alden Veasey heard Fletcher 
Sterns’ promise to give me until to-day to pay them taxes. 
In the moriiing I will ask him to go with me to see Mr. 
Sterns. I wish Bell and the others would come.” 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


NICK ACCUSED OF THEFT. 

Tom Blake got home about ten o'clock with the two 
single teams, one horse following the other. But he had 
not seen anything of the steer team under charge of 
Breck Shingle and Bell Bleak since starting out from 
Portsmouth. 

Tom declared that he had never done such a day's work 
before, and he crept off to bed, leaving Nick to care for 
the horses, which were pretty well used up. 

It was an hour and a half later when Bell and Breck ar- 
rived with the steers, which had stood their journey bet- 
ter than the horses, though they laid down without offer- 
ing to eat the pile of hay Nick put before them. 

'T won't think of taking them back to pasture before 
morning," said Nick. 

"Well, I guess if you were as tired as Breck and I you 
wouldn’t do it. I tell you we’re two poor fellers. If we 
hadn’t taken turns in riding, we should have worn our 
legs off’n us.’’ 

Breck was apparently too tired to even mention the 
fact, for he quickly disappeared, and was not seen again 
until noon the next day. 


Nick Accused of Theft. 


114 

Nick, who had quite forgotten his exhausted condition, 
did not feel much like sleeping, and he tossed on his poor 
couch in a state of feverish excitement the balance of the 
night. As near as he could reckon it, he should have 
fifty dollars left from the proceeds of the coal, after pay- 
ing Mr. Morrison for drawing one hundred bushels. 
Then there would be so much to pay for the steers, though 
he could not tell how much this bill would be. He was 
more troubled on this score for the reason that he had 
found that the steers did not belong to Mr. Drew, the man 
Frank Morrison had said owed him some money. In 
fact, the steers did not belong in the pasture where he had 
found them, but were the property of an unknown person. 

Still, this was a trifling matter, compared to the other 
affairs that were worrying him. 

‘T s’pose we shall have to give up our place and Uncle 
Levi's,'’ he finally concluded, mentally, “if Fletch Sterns 
sticks to what he says. But I'll make a fight before I 
give up, because it isn't honest for him to take it in that 
way, now that I've got the money to pay the taxes. I 
rnust hold onto that like grim death." 

If I haven't already said so, I would improve this op- 
portunity to state that the place of his uncle's he was try- 
ing to save belonged to him who had been convicted and 
sent to prison at the same time his father had met that 
fat«. 


Nick Accused of Theft. 


''Is it possible father really stole those things?’’ he 
asked himself, his thoughts turning into another channel. 
"He had never been in prison before. I ought to have 
questioned Uncle Irum more about it, but I didn’t dare to, 
it made him so uppish. He has been in prison two or 
three times. I s’pose I did wrong in helping him off, but 
what could I do? He’s a bold, bad man, and it’ll be bet- 
ter for us if he never came back.” 

Nick was astir before sunrise, but he concluded to call 
on Mr. Veasey before taking the steers back to the pas- 
ture, as he was anxious to see him before Mr. Sterns 
came, as he expected he would. 

It was a clear September morning, and Nick, under the 
invigorating influences of the crisp air, felt in better 
spirits before he had reached the home of Mr. Veasey, 
whom he found at work in the yard sorting a pile of 
apples. 

"Good-morning, Nick,” greeted the farmer. "I hope 
you have come to help me to-day. I have more work to 
’o than a dozen men could run around.” 

"Perhaps I can help you after I have attended to a little 
matter that is troubling me. I came over to see if you re- 
membered what Mr. Sterns said about giving me the 
privilege of paying up them taxes.” 

"Certainly. I remember it well. Why shouldn’t I, as 
I was intending to bid them off, but he wanted me to give 


ii6 Nick Accused of Theft. 

way to him. I did so upon condition that you should 
have time to redeem them in. I didn't want to see you 
crowded. Are you ready to settle now ? I hear you have 
g;ot your coal off." 

‘'Yes, sir, but Mr. Sterns refuses to take the money. I 
offered it to him last evening.” 

"You don't say. What objection does he raise?" 

"Says I didn't get round as soon as the time was up. 
Says it was up yesterday morning. I understood it yes- 
terday — any time — and I went as soon as 1 got home, and 
when I offered him the money — fifty dollars — he ordered 
me out of his yard." 

"I shouldn't have thought Fletcher would have done 
that. And he was going to make you pay fifty dollars? 
Well, if he refuses to take it, I don't see how you can 
help it. Of course you might hold your place by a law- 
suit, but you can't fight that. I wdsh now I had insisted 
on taking it." 

Nick was at a loss what to say, and while he hesitated, 
he was surprised by the appearance of his brother "Bub," 
who came running up to him, completely out of breath. 

"Mother wants you to come home just as quick as you 
can. Three or four strange men are there, and they are 
talking awful ag'in you." 

Unable to learn anything satisfactory from his fright- 
ened brother, Nick started home at once, to find, upon 


Nick Accused of Theft. 


117 

reaching the place^ that, as Bub had said, three men un- 
known to him, were awaiting his coming. 

“This, I suppose, is the young scoundrel/' said the 
foremost, advancing to Nick's side. “What do you mean 
by stealing a man's cattle and driving them off ?" 

“I didn't know that I had, sir. I " 

“No need to have any words about it. It amounts to 
the same as stealing. You took them out of my pasture 
without my knowledge^ and now I am going to have satis- 
faction, if there is any virtue in law." 

The man was very much excited and deadly in earnest. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


STERNS SERVES NOTICE. 

Nick Bleak was speechless for a time at this bitter 
charge. Nearly all of his friends had gathered about the 
place, so they were witnesses to his trying situation. 

‘T don't know you personally," the stranger continued, 
'‘but I understand you belong to a pretty poor breed of 
cattle. It may be that I cannot get any money out of the 
transaction, but I can have the satisfaction of putting you 
where you won't be able to steal another man's cattle. 
You understand this, sir?" 

"Mister,’’ replied Nick, recovering his presence of 
mind, speaking with an unflinching front, "I don't know 
who you are, and you may have heard I b'long to a poor 
breed of cattle, but I wanter tell you you can't find a 
man as can say I ever stole in my life. I try to be hon- 
est, sir, and I will, if folks will let me. You may send 
me to State prison if you can, but it won't make right 
wrong nor wrong right." 

Nick spoke sharper than he realized, but his bold words 
brought a smile to the lips of th^ men with him who 
claimed the steers. 


Sterns Serves Notice. 


119 

‘'Jove, Bannigan !’’ exclaimed one of them, “youVe got 
a brick to handle in him. I like the style of his grit.’’ 

Mr. Bannigan showed that Nick’s words had had an 
effect upon his actions. 

“Where are the steers?” he asked. 

“Down in the holler there. I was going to take them 
back to the pasture as soon as I could get ’round to it. I 
will now, if you say so.” 

“Yoirre mighty cool about a matter that can send you 
where you’ll have a place to hang your hat for a good 
long time, or I’m no judge of law.” 

“Do you know Mr. Frank Morrison?” 

“I ought to, seeing as he is my brother-in-law.” 

“Well, I want you to go to his place with me. He’ll 
explain it all to you. And it may be well enough to take, 
the steers along with us, as it will save one trip.” 

Mr. Bannigan showed his surprise by remaining silent. 
Somehow this audacious boy was meeting him pretty 
squarely for a thief. 

“Bell,” said Nick, “I wish you would come out and help 
me yoke ’em steers. I’ve got to take ’em back to 
pasture.” 

Bell was promptly on hand, and while the men looked 
on with amazement, the boys yoked both pairs of steers 
and then drove them down to where the coal wagon 
stood. 


120 


Sterns Serves Notice. 


''Hold on, youngsters !’' called out Mr. Bannigan ; 
"what have you been doing to them steers? You don’t 
think you are going to put them on them draves 

"The steers have been used well, Mr. Bannigan, and 
though they were a little fractious at first, they are work- 
ing in tiptop.” 

Mr. Bannigan said no more until the boys had got the 
team hitched up and Nick declared that he was ready to 
start for Mr. Morrison’s. 

At this juncture, Fletcher Sterns appeared upon the 
scene. 

Nodding to Bannigan, whom he seemed to know, he 
said to Nick: 

"I want to be square with you, so I thought I would 
give you proper notice to get out of my house. Til give 
you thirty days to move in. I have notified the selectmen 
to make the taxes out to me for last year and this, so you 
need not have to think anything about paying them. 
What I have said to you applies to Levi Blare’s place. 
This is a fine morning, Bannigan. How do you like 
living up this way?” 

"Haven’t been here long enough to get acquainted yet. 
Don’t want to buy a pair of them steers, do you ?” 

"Don’t know as I do.” 

His feelings too much wrought up for him to reply to 
Mr. Sterns, or even to speak to any of his friends, Nick 


Sterns Serves Notice. 


I2I 


started the team toward the road, leaving the others to fol- 
low him at their leisure. 

As Mr. Bannigan and his companions had come with a 
horse and wagon, they overtook the young charcoal 
burner soon after he had reached the main road. 

Nick could see that the owner of the steers was well 
pleased with the way they marched along, for their trip 
to Portsmouth had completely broken them into the yoke. 

Frank Morrison had seen theiU coming some time be- 
fore they had got to his house, so he was out in the yard 
waiting for them to come up. 

At sight of Mr. Bannigan, he looked very much sur- 
prised. 

'‘Hullo, John ! How is it you’re out so early in the 
morning?’' Then, as if struck with a new idea, he asked : 
“Are them steers yours, John?” 

“I have supposed they were ever since they were calves, 
but I was beginning to think I was mistaken, when I 
find other folks taking them out of my pasture and using 
them as if they owned them. I gave this youngster fits 
till I see him yoke them wild devils up like they were his 
lifelong friends, and then I shut my mouth. There is 
some monkeying about this, anyway, and he has taken me 
to you to explain.” 

Mr. Morrison began to laugh heartily. 

“It’s all right, John, and I don’t want you to blame the 


122 


Sterns Serves Notice. 


boy. You see, it stands like this : He wanted a team to 
go to Porstmouth with a load of coal night before last, 
and I sent him to Osgood’s pasture to get some cattle, 
but he could find only these four steers. Thinking I must 
have meant them, he yoked them and brought them home. 
I saw his mistake, but it was too late to think of trying 
to change them, and as he thought he could handle them, 
I told him to go ahead. If I had dreamed they were 
yours^ I would have made him put on a bigger load. 
There, what are you going to do about it?” 

"T have missed them out of my pasture for a day or 
two, and while Osgood’s cattle have been in mine, I did 
not think my cattle were in his pasture. Mighty funny.” 

‘‘But you ain’t answered my question. How are you 
and I going to settle? If you make your bill too big, I 
shall tack enough on the boy’s bill for breaking your 
wildcats for you to offset.” 


CHAPTER XX. 


AN ARTIST IN DISGRACE. 

“Ha! ha!'’ laughed Mr. Bannigan, showing by his 
manner that the anger he had felt at first had given way 
to good humor, “between you both, I stand a poor show. 
But Pm willing to call it even, and if the boy has another 
load to pull off, I want him to take them again. I never 
saw wild steers handled like that before. I suppose you 
will help me get them back to pasture, Mr. Bleak ?" 

Of course, Nick was only too glad to do this, and he 
felt highly pleased over the result of the affair which had 
looked so threatening at the outset. 

As he was anxious to get back to help Mr. Veasey, he 
at once headed the steers for the pasture, and an hour 
later he had reached the farmer's. 

During the noon hour Miss Spencer again urged Nick 
to come to school. 

“I know I ought to," he replied, “but I don't see how 
I can. You see, winter is soon coming on, and I must get 
ready for it. I must burn three more kilns before snow 
falls, for, you see. I’m bound to have more to live on than 
we had last year." 


124 


An Artist in Disgrace. 


“Mercy me !” with the money you have got you will be 
quite rich/' 

“Well, Fm fixed kinder cur’us. Something tells me to 
hold on to the money Fve got so as to be ready to get back 
the old place, if a chance should come up. Of course you 
know Mr. Sterns has served a notice for us to move out 
inside of a month, and I s'pose we shall have to, though 
it comes hard." 

Miss Spencer had heard of it, and she offered her sym- 
pathy and the hope that Mr. Stems would relent. 

“I shall talk with him myself about it, for I think it is 
too bad. But if you can't come to school, perhaps you 
can spare Bell to do so. Then I have a plan for you. If 
you will take up one or two studies as you can, I will 
hear you recite your lessons evenings." 

This was an offer Nick was only too glad to accept, and 
taking home the books the school teacher loaned him, that 
evening, by his candle, he learned his first lesson. 

Bell began to attend school the ^following Monday. 

The same day the boy charcoal burner began to chop 
the wood for another kiln. After that he was resolved 
not to attempt but one kiln at a time. 

His success and continued efforts were not without 
their effect on others at the Birches, so during the week 
not less than four kilns besides his were started. 

Busy days followed. Such activity among the char- 


An Artist in Disgrace. 


125 


coal burners had not been seen for a long time. But no 
one knew better than Nick that the unusual industry 
would quickly spend itself. 

Bell's reception at school was more cordial, or rather 
less opposed, than might have been expected. This was 
due, no doubt, to the fact that it was generally known 
that he came at the request of the teacher. But if no 
open hostility was offered, certain ones of the pupils lost 
no opportunity to make his experience as unpleasant as 
possible. 

Bell, as may be readily understood, was really a most 
inoffensive boy, having none of the pugnacious determina- 
tion that belonged to his older brother. Given a pencil 
and a scrap of brown paper, he cared little of what was 
going on around him. 

This gift of drawing off-hand was soon discovered by 
Miss Spencer, who realized that, with the opportunity of 
developing his talent, he might become an artist of no 
little repute. She, therefore, encouraged him in every 
way possible. 

But Bell's cunning with his pencil got him into a seri- 
ous difficulty before he had been in school three days. 

Half-a-dozen of the older boys, among whom, as might 
be expected, were Vastly Sterns and Virgil Bennett, per- 
suaded Bell to make a caricature of an old woman who 
had been seen at the Narrows with a band of gypsies. 


126 


An Artist in Disgrace. 


The young artist, without dreaming of the purpose his 
rather questionable picture was to be put, acceded to their 
wishes, and in an ecstasy of delight they praised him 
beyond reason. 

Intending to destroy his work as soon as it had gained 
its purpose, he could not find it when he came to look for 
it. Still paying but little attention to this, he did not 
think of it again, until the following session of school, he 
was amazed to find it pinned to the blackboard and 
labeled : 

'^Our Schoolmarm,’’ while in the right-hand comer was 
written in a scrawling manner, “B. B.’’ 

The scholars were nearly all in the schoolroom, and 
Miss Spencer had entered just ahead of him, so he had 
got to his seat before he had discovered the placard. 

The teacher had seen it, beyond doubt, though she 
made no reference to it until the preliminary exercises 
had been finished, when she walked to the board and, 
pointing her finger toward the insulting image, de- 
manded : 

“To whom am I indebted for that work of art?'' 

In a moment a hushed silence fell on the scene, every 
eye being turned upon the questioner, who, it could be 
seen, was smarting severely under the insult. 

“Who drew that picture?" she asked. “Such a fla- 


grant act cannot go unpunished." 


An Artist in Disgrace. 127 

guess you will find the name of the artist in one cor- 
ner/' said one of the largest boys. 

‘‘B. B./' read Miss Spencer, the color beginning to die 
out of her cheeks, as she anticipated their meaning. 


'Yes, ma’am; Bell Bleak.” 


CHAPTER XXI. 


DARING TOO MUCH. 

Not a sound was heard in any part of the house, as the 
speaker finished his telltale words. 

Miss Spencer looked uncommonly pale, and the hand 
that still pointed at the caricature of herself trembled, as 
she asked, in a low tone ; 

''Bell Bleak, did you draw that 

"Yes, mum.^’ 

"You will stop after school, when I will settle with you 
for it. If I find the offense repeated, I shall resort to 
harsher measures.’’ 

She did not think it policy to dwell upon the matter be- 
fore the school, believing at the outset there were others 
in some way connected with it. Perhaps no punishment 
she could have given Bell Bleak would have been more 
dreaded by him, and that afternoon, though he was un- 
commonly studious, he failed in all of his lessons. With- 
out thinking what the result might be, he remained in at 
recess, a fact that gave the other boys considerable con- 
cern. 

"He means to blow on us,” said Vastly Sterns, "and he 
daresn’t show himself among us. Let’s call him out.” 


Daring Too Much. 129 

This not being deemed advisable, it was finally decided 
to wait until the close of the school, and put themselves in 
Bell's way on his return home. 

'T know of a cute place down by the Narrows — where 
that big clump of willows grows close to the road," de- 
clared young Sterns. 

Unconscious of this plot against him. Bell finally saw 
the rest of the scholars filing out of the house, while he 
was obliged to remain in his seat. Miss Spencer had 
never looked so stern to him before. 

But the chastisement he received was not as severe as 
he had expected. In fact, his teacher spoke quite kindly 
to him, as she asked him his motive in drawing the carica- 
ture of her. 

‘Tf you please, mum, I didn't draw it for you at all. I 
did it to please the boys, who wanted a picture of Gypsy 
Meg. I don't know who put it on the blackboard, for it 
was done before I come into the house. I didn't put the 
lettering under it, either." 

Miss Spencer began to feel that she was getting at the 
truth of the matter, and carefully took down the names of 
the boys who had requested him to draw a sketch of 
Gypsy Meg. 

'T wouldn't do anything of that kind again. Bell, for 
it is not right to make sport of any one, no matter how 
poor they are. I didn't think you meant any harm to me. 


130 


Daring Too Much. 


though I did feel hurt to know that any of my scholars 
should resort to such work. There, you may go home 
now.’' 

Gladly Bell started to leave the house, but he paused at 
the door, and after a moment’s hesitation, he ran back to 
where Miss Spencer was getting her books ready to start 
home, when he exclaimed, impetuously : 

‘T am sorry, teacher, that happened, and that I had 
anything to do with it.” 

Then, as if startled at what he had done, he turned and 
fled from the building. 

Bell Bleak was pursuing his homeward course at a 
smart walk, when he was suddenly confronted by the 
party under the lead of Vastly Sterns and Virgil Bennett. 

''Stop, you little tattlebox !” cried the first, catching the 
terrified boy by the shoulder. "What did you want to tell 
the teacher that we had anything to do about that picture 
for?” 

"Let me go !” implored Bell. "I ain’t hurt any of you.” 

"What did you tell Miss Spencer? Own up to your 
lies, or we’ll hang you to one of these willows.” 

"I ain’t told anything but the truth. Oh, you’re pinch- 
ing my arm hard. Let go.” 

"Not till you own up. Make a circle round him, boys, 
so if he gets away from me he can’t escape. Now, Bell 
Bleak, we are going to make it warm for you if you don’t 


Daring Too Much. 13 1 

tell us every word you told the teacher, and all she said to 
you. Mind you, e/ery word both ways.” 

Bell's reply was a renewal of his struggles to break 
away, and so furiously did he contend with Vastly that he 
succeeded in wresting himself clear from his hold. Drop- 
ping then upon the ground, he plunged headlong between 
the legs of Virgil Bennett, and into the midst of the 
clump of willows by the wayside. 

^‘Head him off!” cried Vastly. ^‘Don't let the little 
black-faced imp get away.” 

So quickly did the others spring to his assistance, Bell's 
escape was cut off, and he again found himself sur- 
rounded in the middle of the road. 

*'You can't get away !” exclaimed the chief of his tor- 
mentors. ‘'Now tell us all, before we half kill you.” 

It would be hard to tell how this would have ended had 
not a newcomer appeared in sight at that moment. Bell 
was the first to see him, when he cried: 

“Oh, Nick! help! help!” 

Vastly Sterns and his companions turned to see the 
young charcoal-burner coming swiftly toward them. His 
hands were grimed with dirt from his recent work, and a 
black smudge nearly crossed his face. But the belliger- 
ent boys did not notice this as much as they did the ex- 
pression on his disfigured countenance. 


132 


Daring Too Mucli, 

‘'What are you doing here?'’ he demanded, reaching 
the place at a few furious strides. 

Feeling safe with so many to stand behind him, Vastly 
Sterns replied: 

“None of your business, Son of Old Nick. And if you 
don't want to get a dose of the same medicine as that 
sneaking brother of yours, you had better keep proper 
distance." 

“Be careful how you sass me," retorted the trembling 
Nick. “I ain't feeling like taking any of your stuff." 

“Lay a hand on us if you dare, Son of Old Nick." 

“Lay a hand on my brother, and I'll " 

Vastly had seized a willow branch lying at his feet, 
and before the other could finish his sentence, dealt Bell a 
stinging blow over the head. 


CHAPTER XXII. 

nick's sad discovery. 

Vastly Sterns and his companions to this day have no 
clear idea of just what followed. The first suddenly felt 
a vise-like grip upon two places of his person, and he was 
hurled bodily into the thicket by the roadside. Virgil 
Bennett was flung on top of him the next instant, while 
one after another of the rest followed in various shapes. 
Some were hedged in among the willows, while a few 
went a little farther to fall upon the clear grass ground 
beyond. 

When the road had been cleared, and it was done in the 
twinkling of an eye, Nick Bleak stood defiantly at bay. 

Two or three of the boys were quickly on their feet, but 
they offered no resistance, while their companions crawled 
out from their positions, Vastly Sterns being the last to 
recover his equilibrium. 

His face had been quite severely scratched, while his 
clothes showed several rents. Virgil Bennett had re- 
ceived several minor injuries, though all the rest had es- 
caped unhurt. 

'Titch into him, boys!" cried young Sterns. 


liadn’t laid a hand on him." 


134 Nick’s Sad Discovery. 

‘'Better let him alone,” said another, turning about and 
leaving the place, to be followed by all except Vastly, Vir- 
gil and one other. 

Deserted thus unexpectedly, the bully looked frightened, 
and began to retreat. 

"I shall enter a complaint against you,” he exclaimed. 
“Come, Virgil, we don’t want to dirty our hands with the 
miserable coal-burner.” 

A minute later Bell and Nick were left alone. 

“It was a lucky thing for me that you come erlong just 
as you did,” declared the former. 

“Tell me all about it. Bell.” 

When his brother had given a full account of what had 
taken place, Nick looked serious, saying: 

“Well, I don’t think they’ll dare to touch you again. I 
am sure they won’t me.” 

“I’m afraid of ’em, Nick, honest I am. That Vast 
Sterns picks on me every chance he gets.” 

“Learn to stand up for your rights. Bell. He’s a cow- 
ard, and you could make him run if you’d bristle up to 
him.” 

“But I can’t bristle when I’m scart, Nick. Then, you 
see, he alwus manages to have a lot with him.” 

“I don’t know as I can do anything more for you this 
time. But if I am handy, they can count on a good 
thrashing every time. Mebbe I handled ’em a little rough 


Nick’s Sad Discovery. 135 

just now, but I sort of forgit in times like ’em. But 
this won’t do for me. I had started for the village, but 
this has so upset me that I’ll go back home. You can do 
the errant for me to-morrow.” 

As it still lacked nearly an hour of being dark, and he 
was anxious to get to his work as fast as possible, Nick 
went back to his task of ‘'setting up” the kiln, he having 
finished chopping wood enough to make, as he believed, 
two hundred bushels of coal. He kept busily at work 
until night had begun to settle down upon hill and valley. 

“I can finish it easily to-morrow forenoon,” he thought, 
“and then I will begin to sod and dust. Hilloa! who’s 
that in the bushes ?” 

This last question, which had sprung so suddenly to his 
lips, had been called forth by the unexpected appearance 
of a skulking figure in the thick undergrowth a short dis- 
tance below where he was working. 

But he had scarcely asked himself the impromptu ques- 
tion before he had made another discovery more startling 
to him. In beginning upon his work, he had removed his 
vest, hanging it upon a small hazel. He saw that it had 
fallen to the ground, and the pocket containing his wallet 
turned wrong side out ! 

That pocket had contained all of the money he had re- 
ceived for his coal, as knowing the nature of the men 


136 Nick’s Sad Discovery. 

around him, he had not dared to do other than to carry 
it with him. 

In a moment he realized that the person stealing away 
under cover of the growth had just robbed him. 

The next instant Nick was bounding swiftly down the 
valley in pursuit of the thief, who, upon hearing his pur- 
suer, started away at the top of his speed, making little or 
no attempt to cover his retreat. 

Nick was a fleet runner, and he expected he would soon 
be able to overtake the other, but he found that he had met 
his match. 

It was too dark in the woods for him to recognize the 
robber, even if it were any one he knew, but finally, as the 
fugitive came out upon the clearing at the summit of 
Narrows hill in plain sight, Nick uttered a low cry of 
amazement. 

It was Vastly Sterns ! 

The discovery for a moment unsettled Nick in his pur- 
suit. He had found the son of the farmer capable of all 
sorts of mean tricks, but he had never dreamed that he 
was evil-minded enough to steal. 

In a moment the fugitive disappeared on the opposite 
descent, and it looked as if he would escape. 

Quickly arousing himself to a sense of his loss and the 
necessity of more earnest action on his part, Nick Bleak 
bounded forward with redoubled efforts. He had given 


Nick’s Sad Discovery, 


137 


no outcry from the first, and now his lips were closely 
compressed, as he sped on in the sternest chase he had 
ever known. 

The fugitive must have realized how much he had at 
stake, for he put forth every atom of strength he pos- 
sessed to out-distance his furious pursuer. 

On through the growth, at times out of sight of each 
other, in the deepening shades of the approaching night, 
both straining every nerve to win, sped the fugitive and 
his pursuer. 

The highway running from the Narrows to Blake’s Hill 
was reached, when Nick expected his victim would follow 
either up or down the highway. But, to his joy, the other 
dashed across the way and into the tangled woods on the 
opposite side. 

The ground was so low in this vicinity that it was often 
overflowed by water from Sunny Pond. It was ex- 
tremely difficult to escape these sloughs in the semi-dark- 
ness, and twice Vastly found himself floundering to his 
waist in the stagnant pools. Still, each time he managed 
to extricate himself and resume his desperate flight before 
Nick could reach him. 

Once the coal burner plunged headlong into three or 
four feet of water, and found the edges surrounded by 
such a dense fringe of water-bushes that for a moment 
he despaired of getting out. When next he came in sight 


138 Nick’s Sad Discovety. 

of his victim the broad sheet of Sunny Pond was to be 
seen a short distance ahead. 

For the first time Nick realized Vastly Sterns’ object in 
pursuing this course. A solitary boat pulled up on the 
wide, sandy beach was now his objective point. By that 
boat he hoped to effectually baffle his pursuer. 

Nick felt that if he allowed the other to gain the boat 
his hope of capturing him was gone. The next moment 
he found himself so hopelessly entangled in a grapevine 
that before he was able to extricate himself Vastly Sterns 
had pushed the boat down to the water’s edge, and, seiz- 
ing the oars, rowed away for dear life. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


OWN FAULT. 

''Stop, Vast Sterns!’’ shouted Nick, as soon as he could 
scramble to his feet, speaking to the other for the first 
time since the exciting race had begun. 

A taunting laugh was borne over the water, with the 
clearness of sound falling on the evening air, while the 
fugitive continued to ply the oars with all the vigor he 
possessed. 

Nick Bleak uttered a groan as he realized his helpless- 
ness. He knew that for him to abandon the chase and 
thus allow the thief to get away meant the permanent 
loss of his money, for it would be useless for him to make 
any complaint against the other. No one would accept 
his word against the son of the wealthy farmer, whose 
name and word were above reproach. 

While these thoughts were flashing through his mind, 
Nick cleared himself from the entangling vine, and 
dashed down to the water’s edge as the fugitive’s form 
was beginning to die out in the dull gray gloom that over- 
hung the pond. 

"rU have him if I have to swim the pond!” exclaimed 


140 


His Own Fault. 


Nick, beginning to cast off his outer clothes. So swiftly 
did he work that in a moment he stood free of his gar- 
ments, and the next instant he was swimming furiously 
in the wake of the fugitive, who, looking back a little 
later, and failing to catch sight of the swimmer, naturally 
concluded he had given up the chase and returned home, 
or else was lying low in the bushes near the shore, hoping 
to waylay him should he dare to venture on the land. 

‘'Oh, I’m too sharp to be caught in any such trap as 
that!” said Vastly, with a low laugh. “No coal burner 
gets the best of me in that simple way. I don’t think I’ll 
land this side of Crookneck Cove. My gracious! that 
was the closest race I was ever in, and if I’d had much 
further to run I’d have been a goner.” 

In fancied safety, he rowed leisurely ahead until he 
had reached nearly the middle of the pond, and he was 
beginning to shape his course more to the left, when he 
thought he heard a splash of water a short distance behind 
him. 

“It can’t be the fool has followed me so far!” he ex- 
claimed. 

Vastly Sterns had barely given expression to this 
thought before he had made another startling discovery. 

The boat was leaking so fast that the water reached far 
up the sides. He had known that it was coming in from 
the first, but had not deemed it of sufficient importance to 


His Own Fault. 


141 

give it any notice. But the water was rising so rapidly 
now that he began to tremble with fear. 

‘‘Nothing to bail out with he exclaimed, dropping the 
oars and trying to scoop the water out with his hands. 

But this was slow work. In fact, the water was com- 
ing in so fast now that he realized the boat must sink in a 
moment. 

Vastly Sterns worked with frantic energy to get the 
water out of the boat, but the faster he worked the faster 
it seemed to come in. His excited movements caused the 
frail craft to lurch frightfully, until he cried out in his 
desperation : 

“I am lost ! I shall be drowned V 

The shore loomed up only a sort of black haze in the 
far distance. He was but a poor swimmer, and, thor- 
oughly scared as he was, he quickly lost his presence of 
mind. 

“Help V he cried, at the top of his lungs, as he felt the 
boat sinking faster and faster. “I shall be drowned ! The 
boat is linking! Save 

He finished the sentence with an inarticulate cry, as he 
was suddenly precipitated headlong into the water, the 
boat going down with a plunge. 

A good swimmer might not have been to blame for 
feeling alarm at being thus suddenly thrown upon his 
own resources, while Vastly ’s terror was unbounded, and 


His Own Fault. 


142 

he must have gone to the bottom in a few minutes had not 
strong arms been near to save him. 

Nick Bleak had undertaken too desperate an attempt to 
falter once he had entered the water, and, with that stem 
determination so natural to him, he had continued to pur- 
sue his enemy, gradually gaining upon him as the latter 
grew more lax in his rowing. Thus the young charcoal 
burner was only a few yards away as the terrified youth’s 
first cry rang out far and wide on the still expanse of 
water. 

I think I am attributing only human qualities to him 
when I say that Nick’s first feeling was of triumph. His 
foe had run into a trap of his own setting, and let him pay 
the awful consequence ! But his second thought showed 
him something of his error. If the other was in real 
danger, was it not his duty to save him if possible ? 

He was still undecided what to do when Vastly ’s last 
despairing appeal rang over the water, and Nick realized 
that he was in actual peril. 

Then, with the generous impulse of his whole-hearted 
nature, he swam down to the place where Vastly ’s white 
face had for a moment been seen. 

‘T’ll help you !” he cried, as he darted forward. ‘'Keep 
cool!” 

Struggling furiously. Vastly came to the surface at 


His Own Fault. 


143 

nearly the spot where Nick had calculated he would rise, 
and was thus on hand to receive him. 

“Don't strike so," warned the rescuer. “Put your 
hands on my shoulder, and I’ll take you ashore." 

Fortunately, Vastly’s presence of mind returned some- 
what upon finding he had a friend to help him, and he did 
as he was told. 

A less courageous youth than Nick Bleak must have 
felt the hopelessness of his attempt to save the other. It 
would have been no little feat for him to have reached the 
shore alone, to say nothing of being handicapped with 
the burden of another, who rested a dead weight upon 
him. 

Not a word was spoken as he swam on and on, re- 
tracing the course he had followed in coming out 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


HEROISM AND DESPAIR. 

Even muscles of iron tire, as has been conclusively 
shown by scientists, and soon Nick Bleak felt his arm 
weakening. So slowly had he seemed to approach the 
shore that it looked dimmer in the shades of night than it 
had at the outset! 

‘'Shift yourself a little more on my right shoulder/’ he 
said, in a low tone. 

“You mean to throw me off I” exclaimed the suspicious 
Vastly. “I daren’t move,” at the same time winding his 
arms more closely about the swimmer. 

“Don’t,” panted Nick. “I mean to save you if I can, 
but I must have more play of my arms. Loosen your 
hold.” 

Vastly Sterns slightly relaxed his grip for a time, but 
he soon began to clasp closer and closer on his would-be 
rescuer. 

Nick fairly gasped for breath. He looked over the 
watery expanse toward the shore with a despairing gaze. 

“Ease up,” he besought. “You must if you wouldn’t 


drown us both I” 


Heroism and Despair. 


145 


Again the other obeyed somewhat, but more and more 
he was possessed of the idea that his unselfish rescuer 
meant to play foul with him. 

It was a trying situation for Nick, who did not like to 
break the other’s hold unless actually compelled to do so, 
while he knew, in case he was driven to that emergency, 
the chances were that both would be drowned. 

Thus again and again he begged of Vastly to give him 
more movement of his arms, and each time the other 
would loosen his hold for a moment, to renew his clutch 
closer than ever. 

Finally Nick began to doubt his ability to reach the 
land, and he felt like giving up. Despised and oppressed 
as he was on all hands, why should he fight such a hope- 
less battle longer? Then a nobler impulse entered his 
mind, and, giving greater force to his arms, he swam on 
faster than before. 

He saw with glad heart the forest fringing the shore 
beginning to assume shape, and then the white belt of 
sand lying between that and the water shone plainly in 
the night. 

Another spurt and he felt his feet touch the bottom, 
and then he staggered upon the beach, to fall with his 
feet still in the tide. Vastly Sterns seemed nearly as 
overcome as he, but the other was the first to think of 
leaving the place. 


146 Heroism and Despair. 

‘'Hold on ! Stop !” cried Nick, starting half-way to his 
feet. “Give me back my money. I have saved your life, 
now give me back my own.’’ 

Vastly Sterns’ natural arrogance returned at the sup- 
plication, and he stopped to say: 

“Yes ; you did me a good turn ; I’ll give you credit for 
that. I will tell father, and he shall pay you for it. I 
suppose five dollars ” 

“It’s my own money I want! You took it from my 
vest pocket ” 

“Insolent dog I” interrupted the other, “do you dare to 
accuse me of stealing your money?” 

“You took it,” persisted Nick, who had gained his feet. 
“I had it in my vest, that I had left hanging on the hazel 
scrub. I might have let you drown, but I didn’t; now 
have pity enough on me to give me back my ” 

Vastly Sterns waved his hand impatiently, and then 
dropped it into his pocket, as he cried, hotly : 

“Fool! I have money of my own ” He stopped 

suddenly in the midst of his speech, and his hand went 
deeper into his pocket. “It isn’t there ! I haven’t got it !” 
he exclaimed. “If you hadn’t just given me a good pull, 
I’d lick you for calling me a thief. Stand back ! Lay a 
hand on me if you dare !” 

Nick had sprung forward to his side, and one hand was 
laid heavily on Vastly’s shoulder. 


Heroism and Despair. 147 

The latter would have fled if he had thought he could 
have done it successfully. 

‘‘What were you running for if you hadn’t stolen my 
money?” demanded Nick, hoarsely. 

“Because I was afraid you would try to hammer me, 
and I don’t want to be all the time mixed up in fights 
with such fellows as you. Let go my shoulders. I shall 
tell my father of this.” 

“My money! give me back my money!” hissed Nick 
between his clinched teeth. 

“So you won’t believe me,” said the other, who was 
beginning to show fright. “Put your hands in my 
pockets if you want to. It ain’t there.” 

Nick needed no second bidding to search his victim, 
and he quickly began to look through his pockets. But 
in none of them did he find any trace of his missing 
money. 

“Are you satisfied now?” asked Vastly, showing more 
independence. “I have not got your money — ^liave not 
had it. Can I go now?” 

“Yes, go,” replied Nick, hopelessly. 


CHAPTER XXV. 


ANOTHER NOTICE. 

Nick did not stir from his tracks until Vastly Sterns 
had disappeared in the darkness of the woods, and the 
sound of his footsteps had died away in the distance. 

‘Tm sure he took it,’’ said the disappointed boy, ‘‘and 
he must have dropped it somewhere in the woods. I shall 
never see it again. If I should say that he took it they 
would only laugh at me.” 

Then, quickly putting on his garments, he started 
homeward, meeting with no further adventure that night. 
He did not tell his mother of his loss, not thinking it best. 

In the morning he examined closely everything about 
the place where he had left his vest, until he was satis- 
fied some one had crept through the bushes to the spot. 
In fact^ he found two or three imprints of feet quite 
plainly defined. 

“It’s gone!” he said, as he went back to his work of 
sodding the kiln. “My hard work was for nothing.” 

If Nick had kept a secret from his mother, she had 
done the same to him. During the night a cousin by the 
name of Joe Blare appeared at their home, asking shelter, 


Anotlier Notice. 


149 

which she readily granted, though she knew she was 
jeopardizing the safety of all by so doing, for this new- 
comer was a fugitive from justice. In fact, he had the 
reputation of being one of the worst of the entire mem- 
bers of the evil families. 

Nick had his misapprehensions as soon as he found 
that Joe Blare was among them. Though he had seen 
the other but a few times, he had heard so much of him 
and his evil work that he felt his presence was a curse to 
any community. 

''His coming means us no good, mother,’’ he said. "He 
has some miserable work on hand, or he would not be 
here. As if it was not enough to have Black Daniels 
among us, and now that he is only gone Slippery Joe 
must needs come.” 

Mrs. Bleak made no reply to this. If the truth were 
told, she, too, felt that his appearance boded them no 
good. 

Immediately it was known that Slippery Joe was at the 
Narrows, the male members of the little hamlet of char- 
coal burners began to gather about him, though almost 
to a man they feared this bold outlaw. 

Nick went to his work of finishing his kiln as soon as 
he had eaten his breakfast, though he noticed that none of 
the others went near their kilns. In fact, work had been 


Another Notice. 


150 

stopped entirely the day before on two of them, and it was 
doubtful if the others would be touched for days, if at all. 

don’t wonder we are looked down upon,” solilo- 
quized Nick. “I wonder if it’s possible for any one to 
be anybody and live here ?” 

He was working diligently at his task of digging up 
small squares of sod to be placed turf-side down on the 
sides of the kiln, and keeping his mind as busy as his 
hands with thoughts far from pleasant, when he was sur- 
prised to see a couple of men coming up the valley toward 
him. 

^'They are Fletch Sterns and Gilbert Davidson. I 
wonder what they can want?” 

Feeling that new trouble was in store for him, Nick 
kept steadily at work with his shovel without looking up, 
until Mr. Sterns said, in his sharp, rasping tone : 

'What do you think you are doing here, young man ?” 

"You must know enough about coal burning, sir, to 
see that I am sodding a kiln.” 

"None of your impudence, you young scamp. Did you 
have as good a realization of honesty as you have of lying 
and stealing, you would know that is not what I meant.” 

"If it is not, Mr. Sterns, I wish you would make your 
meaning plain enough for me to understand. I do not 
now, sir.” 


Another Notice. 


151 

^‘Bah ! can you answer a plain question ? Whose wood 
is that you have put into that kiln V 

‘‘My own 

Those two words Nick uttered, and then he stopped 
spellbound. Until that moment he had not realized what 
had come into his mind like a flash. 

“Where did you cut it?” 

“I cut a load of it on Mr. Thrasher’s.” 

“And the rest? Tell the truth once in your life.” 

“I cut it just off here to the right.” 

“Which means that you cut it on my land,” declared 
Stems, with a sinister smile on his lips. “I call upon 
you, Mr. Davidson, to witness to the young rascal’s con- 
fession. He owns he cut it on my land.” 

“I did not think — I mean, I did not stop to consider 
that if you owned the place the birches were yours.” 

“I must say your intellect is about on a par with your 
morals. Now that you have stopped to think, what are 
you going to do?” 

“I will pay you for your part the same as I do to Mr. 
Thrasher.” 

“You will do nothing of the kind, you young repro- 
bate. The case is not the same where you cut it without 
the consent of the owner as it is where you do. I could 
make you smart for what you have done.” 


Anotlier Notice, 

As Nick made no reply to this, the other soon re- 
sumed : 

‘'In the presence of Mr. Davidson, I forbid you doing 
any more. I do not wish my woodland ruined for a few 
bushels of coal, and if you cut another tree I shall try 
the law on you. As to the wood you have slaughtered, I 
will send down teams this afternoon to draw it home for 
firewood. It will come in quite handy the early part of 
the winter.” 

Having delivered this speech, Mr. Fletcher Sterns 
turned upon his heel, and, followed by his companion, 
marched deliberately down the valley. 

Nick threw his ax over his shoulder, and, with his 
shovel in his hand, walked dejectedly in the direction of 
his home, feeling that it mattered little whether he tried 
to do anything or not. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

JOE blare’s sensation. 

Nick found dinner awaiting him when he got to his 
house, and while he ate the meal he told what Mr. Sterns 
had done, the announcement bringing bitter speeches 
from his mother. 

‘Tt’s a long road that has no turn !” she exclaimed. 
‘'We’ll get even with Fletch Sterns yet, mark my words.” 

"Let it be by fair means, mother. Do you know I have 
come to the conclusion that we’d better leave the Nar- 
rows. It ” 

"Leave the Narrers? Never, so long as I can keep a 
foot above ground, and when I die I want my bones to 
rest here.” 

Nick knew better than to attempt to argue the matter, 
though he had been pondering it in his mind for several 
days. 

"It’s the best thing I can do,” he kept repeating to 
himself. "I can never be anybody here. Everything is 
against me.” 

After dinner he started to visit Mr. Alden Veasey, de- 
termined to tell him of the latest action of his enemy, as 
he considered Fletcher Sterns. 


154 


Joe Blare’s Sensation. 


Mr. Veasey was at the village store, and thither he re- 
luctantly made his way, to find a dozen or more of the 
villagers collected at the place. The first words that fell 
upon his ears gave him the rather startling information 
that he was the theme of the conversation. 

‘'The son of Old Nick isn't going to make much out of 
another coal kiln if Fletch Sterns can help it," some one 
in the background was saying. “The boy has got another 
kiln almost sodded, but Sterns is going to pull the wood 
home for his own use. I see his team going after a load 
as I come along." 

“Well, Fletch is a barker, that's all I have to say. 
What's the claim he's got on the wood anyway?" 

“Owns it, don't you see? The place is his on the tax 
deed." 

“Sho! I had forgotten that. Well, I'll tell you I 
don't think much of such doings. I hear he wouldn't let 
the boy pay up after he'd got the money." 

“That's so; weren't obleeged to, you know. Fletch 
ain't a feller to let such a chance slip. And now he's 
gobbled the wood." 

“Well, that don't mean it is right if he does do it. Un- 
derstand, I am not saying a word in defence of those 
worthless Bleaks and Blares. The world would be better 
off without such cattle, but there is a difference between 


Joe Blare’s Sensation. 155 

right and wrong, even in dealing with them. I believe 
that young Nick was trying to do better than the others.” 

^'Big lot of room for him to do so. But I have noticed 
a skunk cabbage always has that infernal smell, no matter 
where it grows. A Bleak, be he young Nick or old Nick, 
has about the same make-up. I can't see as this mixture 
of Blare helps the blood any.” 

‘'No matter about the Bleaks and Blares,” spoke up an- 
other. “I agree with Hilton that Sterns is doing a con- 
temptible thing in grinding young Nick down so. The 
boy's chance is bad enough at its best, and old man Sterns 
has got acres enough without stealing the few from the 
charcoal burners.” 

Nick was pleased to know that the speaker was one of 
the leading citizens in the town. But the other had 
barely finished speaking before he heard the sound of 
steps in the grainroom opening from the main store, and, 
turning in that direction, he was surprised to see Fletcher 
Sterns retreating from the place. Evidently he had 
started to enter from that direction into the store, and 
had stopped on the threshold to hear what had been said. 
Then, lacking the courage to come in, he had beat a hasty 
retreat. Apparently no one had noticed him, and the con- 
versation was continued in very much the same strain, 
Nick's heart beating fast and loud as he listened, wishing 
he was well out of it. 


156 Joe Blare’s Sensation. 

He was destined to be given a chance of escape in a 
most unexpected way. 

In the midst of the village gossip, which was becoming 
animated in its tone, the door was flung open, and a man 
bolted into the store^ as if his errand was of national, 
rather than local, importance, crying: 

'Trask has got him! Sheriff Trask has captured Joe 
Blare. Found him at the Narrers.’’ 

In an instant every person was on his feet, and an ex- 
cited tableau followed, during which Nick stole away, un- 
mindful of the errand which had called him to the place. 

Hastening to his home, he found that Joe Blare had 
been tracked to their abode, and found there by the 
sheriff. Still, as no one else had been troubled, little if 
any regret was felt by the coal burners over the fate of 
him whom they feared much but liked very little. 

"Reckon Joe’ll have a peg to hang his hat on for a 
good long while, an’ while it hangs there he won’t be 
hangin’ round here.” 

But they had yet to learn the full measure of the other’s 
evil cunning, for no sooner was he in the strong grasp of 
the law, with no reasonable promise of escape, than he 
surprised all by declaring that he was ready to turn 
State’s evidence against his companions in crime, upon the 
usual condition that he should be allowed to go free. 

"Give me a chance to talk,” he said, "and FlI turn the 


Joe Blare’s Sensation. 157 

Narrers inside out. Oh^ I know what I’m sayin’, an’ I 
can give ye th’ full hist’ry o’ the Locke robbery, even to 
where the jewels air now. An’ I can put you on th’ right 
track o’ ’em as did th’ robbery at the Pond, an’ a pile o’ 
devilishness you don’t dream on. I reckon the Narrers 
won’t have a greased spot left when I get through.” 

Anxious to get at the bottom of the whole affair, the 
officials gladly promised him clemency if he should make 
a full confession of all. 

That the desperate wretch might tell some unwelcome 
truths no better evidence was needed than the scared 
looks and hasty preparations for flight to be seen by 
those who were in the secret at the little hamlet of coal 
burners. 

Nick watched and waited with anxious forebodings 
that he could not put from his mind. Somehow he felt 
that the great crisis of his life was at hand. 


CHAPTER XXVII. 


nick’s RESOI.VE. 

Joe Blare’s confession, while, like a September thunder 
shower, it threatened more than it fulfilled, afforded a 
startling revelation, and set the tongues of the law- 
abiding citizens wagging at a furious rate. 

In his written statement, which was duly witnessed and 
signed in the presence of Justice Coe, he gave what he 
claimed was a full account of the Locke robbery, though 
he threw little if any light on the situation. Nick Bleak 
had been at the head of the affair, assisted by Levi Blare, 
Black Daniels, and himself. The stolen property had 
been concealed in a cave in the west side of Blake’s Hill, 
a spot described so accurately as to be easily recognized 
as that discovered by Vastly Sterns and Virgil Bennett 
on the day of the picnic. What afterward became of the 
booty he did not know, as neither he nor Daniels had re- 
ceived any part of it. 

So far it was pretty evident the prisoner was firing 
near the mark, judging by such developments as had 
taken place, but, as both Bleak and Blare were paying 
the penalty of their misdeeds, and Black Daniels had sue- 


Nick’s Resolve. 


159 


ceeded in eluding justice, little was to be gained by this 
portion of his confession. But the more startling reve- 
lation was coming. 

He went on to say that there had been and was still 
an organized band of housebreakers at the Narrows. 
Nick Bleak had been its leader until circumstances had 
made it imposssible for him to serve in that nefarious 
capacity, when Black Daniels had become his natural suc- 
cessor. As that worthy was not able to look after his 
followers as closely as it was necessary, the son of Old 
Nick had stepped into his father's shoes ! 

With unshrinking impudence, the wretch went on to 
give the names of those at the Narrows who were pledged 
by an ironclad oath to keep up the league. The robbery 
at the Pond, he claimed, had been done by Black Daniels 
and two others, whose names he unhesitatingly men- 
tioned. 

There must have been some truth in Joe Blare's state- 
ments, for he had barely given them utterance before 
three of those he mentioned disappeared from the Nar- 
rows. 

It was little wonder the startling announcements be- 
came the all-absorbing talk of that vicinity, many being 
outspoken in their belief that it was best to arrest every 
man, woman, and child at the settlement of charcoal 
burners. 


i6o Nick’s Resolve. 

Others, more conservative, were inclined to accept the 
so-called confession with considerable allowance relative 
to its truthfulness, and so two days slipped away with- 
out anything being done. 

To no one did the “confession’' carry greater concern 
than it did to young Nick Bleak. He believed none of it. 

“It is all a lie on the part of that sneaking Joe Blare to 
save his neck from the halter. You know it, mother! 
Why don’t you say so?” 

“Some of th’ boys’ll make Joe suffer for his words,” 
was her reply, supplemented with language that I would 
not care to repeat here. 

“I’ll get at the truth of this,” cried Nick. “I’ll clear 
father’s name, and then we can lift our heads with other 
folks.” 

“Better look after yer coal burnin’. By the way, I 
should like to know how ’tis Fletch Sterns draws off yer 
wood without a word to any one. He’s got every stick. 
An’ you a lettin’ him.” 

“He claims it with the place, mother. You don’t real- 
ize we have got to move from here soon.” 

“Move! never, while th’ ol’ gun holds a shot. Yes, I 
mean it. Let Fletch Sterns come to take possession if 
he dares. I want some money, Nick. A dollar’ll do.” 

“To-morrow, mother ; give me time to think,” and Nick 
left the room. 


Nick’s Resolve. 


i6i 


It had long been a custom with Nick to seek the soli- 
tude of the woods, where he could be alone with his 
thoughts, on those occasions when, as he not inaptly ex- 
pressed it, “everything was against him/’ Now he wan- 
dered away from the house, keeping on into the deeper 
forest, until he found himself in the heart of the pine re- 
gion so coveted by the unscrupulous Fletcher Sterns. At 
the foot of a giant tree he stopped, giving expression to 
a volcano of feeling that must find vent in some manner. 

“If I only knew the truth !” he exclaimed. “But 
mother does — will not tell. Does that mean that father 
is guilty, or doesn’t she know? If all they say is true, 
why was I placed here? And Bell, too? He, like me, 
tries to be what they call honest. If it wasn’t for leav- 
ing mother and Bub, I’d run away, and Bell should go 
with me! But I can’t do that. I wish I could see and 
talk with father.” 

Relapsing into silence for a few moments, he suddenly 
started up, exclaiming : 

“Why haven’t I thought of that before? I’ll do it — ^to- 
morrow !” 

Nick’s intentions were to visit his father in prison, and 
learn from his own lips the truth of the whole situation, 
in his boyish enthusiasm never dreaming of the real ob- 
stacle lying in his path to hinder him from gaining his 
purpose. 


i 62 


Nick’s Resolve. 


Without any money now, his only way to reach the 
State capital was to go on foot, and, as the distance was 
over twenty miles, this undertaking must have dis- 
couraged a less determined boy. But he did not give a 
second thought to the hardship of the long tramp before 
him. 

He was astir in the morning before any of the rest, 
except Bell, to whom he had confided his secret, and, eat- 
ing such a lunch as he could find in the scanty larder, he 
set forth on his journey without telling his mother that 
he was going away. As it was nothing unusual for him 
to be away from home days at a time, he knew she would 
not be surprised at his absence. 

If the miles seemed long to him before he reached his 
destination, his heart was buoyed up by the thought that 
he would soon see his father. Thus he trudged wearily 
over the hills and through the valleys, until, about noon, 
he came in sight of the church spires of the capital city. 
Stopping for a moment by the wayside to brush some- 
what the dust from his threadbare clothes, he plodded 
ahead down the main street, where everything looked 
strange and exciting to him. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 


THE TERRIBI.E TRUTH. 

The ragged, dust-brown country boy, staring right and 
left with wide-opened eyes, caught the attention of the 
passersby, many of whom turned to look after him, or 
direct some ill-meaning question to him. 

Unheeding these, Nick kept on his way, until at last 
he paused in dire confusion. At a loss to know which 
way to go, he finally plucked up the courage to inquire 
of a benevolent-looking gentleman, who kindly gave him 
the necessary information. 

Thus he eventually found himself in sight of the gray, 
gloomy-looking structure that sent a thrill through his 
frame at the first look. 

‘Uan it be father has fifteen years to spend there?'’ he 
asked of himself, involuntarily. 

Then, seeing one whom he judged to be an official, he 
stated his errand, to be met with the blunt reply : 

‘^No admittance to strangers.” 

‘^But I have a father there whom I must see.” 

‘"We know nothing of that. Let us see what you have 
to show who you are.” 


164 


The Terrible Truth. 


Alas! the son of Old Nick had nothing but his ill- 
omened name, and, with a sinking heart, he was finally 
obliged to turn away. In his bitter disappointment he 
knew not which way to turn or what to do. Was it for 
this he had walked so far and with such hopes? 

At this moment Nick was treated to a sight that in- 
stantly raised his spirits. He had not gone far before 
he saw Mr. Alden Veasey on the street. He had never 
been so glad to see any one in his life. 

‘'Hi! Nick!’’ called out the latter, who had already seen 
him. " “How in the world came you up here?” 

“I came up to see father,” he replied, truthfully. “But 
they won’t let me in.” 

“Are you alone ?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“You are not recognized by them, I suppose. Well, 
I think I can make it all right for you, and if you wish 
to go in I will go back with you. But it is doubtful if 
they will let you speak to him, if that is what you 
wanted.” 

Through the kind influence of Mr. Veasey, Nick saw 
his father, but it was a most unsatisfactory meeting, if it 
could be called such. He found prison discipline so rigid 
that he could only gaze at him, while his father was 
obliged to keep at his work without looking up, and, of 


The Terrible Truth. 165 

course, not knowing who was near by. His parent had 
changed considerably, and was looking much older. 

Nick did not seem to breathe until he was outside of 
the somber building, when he said : 

'It is dreadful to be there. I thank you very much 
for your kindness. I must be on my way home, if I hope 
to get there to-night.'’ 

"If you are on foot and alone, you can ride with me as 
well as not. No thanks. You might have come up with 
me if I had known you were coming.” 

Nick did ride home with Mr. Veasey, and, on the way, 
he frankly told the farmer what his hopes had been in 
going to see his father, finishing with the declaration: 

"I believe father is innocent. I know he has been 
shiftless in working, and has done many things he ought 
not, but I cannot think he stole Grandmother Locke's 
silverware and jewels. I mean to prove him innocent, 
and then my way will be easier.'' 

Mr. Veasey, who had listened kindly, even anxiously, 
to all he had said, replied : 

"Nick, I believe your intentions are good, and I am 
always ready to lend a helping hand to the deserving. I 
was the best friend your father had, but he deliberately 
turned his back upon me. However, I am not going to 
censure him ; only I will say to you, build upon a founda- 
tion of your own. I suppose it is natural for you to 


1 66 


The Terrible Truth. 


think him innocent, but I have no doubt of his guilt. I 
say this with the deepest regret. Let his fate be a warn- 
ing to you. You are young, and it is not too late for you 
to become a respected person.'^ 

‘'Can I?'’ asked Nick, anxiously. “Will they let me?” 

“Let you ? The first thing you want to do is to get the 
idea out of your mind that everybody is against you. I 
know it is human nature to step on a man who is down, 
but the ambitious boy will not lie still for anybody to step 
on him a second time. Keep your honest intentions alive 
and at work, and Fll warrant you’ll come on top of the 
heap at last.” 

Nick was likely to remember that conversation for 
many a day, and that evening, at his home, he was still 
pondering it over, when his mother unexpectedly asked 
him where he had been during the day. 

Then, to his surprise, when he candidly acknowledged 
the truth, she manifested great interest in the matter, 
questioning closely as to all he had seen and heard. 

“I never realized what it was to go to State prison, 
mother, until to-day. I pity father. And now I want 
you to tell me the whole truth about him. He did not 
steal, did he ? He must be innocent of that !” 

A sort of vindictive expression stole over her hardened 
features, as she asked : 


The Terrible Truth. 


167 


“So you want to know the truth, do you 
^‘Yes, mother; Bell and I do/’ 

^'Lots of satisfaction it mus’ be to yer. 
all this question’. If you mus’ know, yer 
common thief, born an’ bred in the bone, I 5 


?” 

But I’ll stop 
father was a 
5’pose.” 


CHAPTER XXIX. 


THE SECRET OF THE CAVE. 

Mrs. Bleak’s tone, as much as her words, carried grief 
to the hearts of Nick and Bell, whose eyes glistened with 
tears at the unfeeling statement of the bitter truth. She 
did not fail to notice this, and the closely-drawn lines 
about her mouth quickly relaxed, while she said : 

'T don’t see any use to sniffle over it. What is to be is, 
I s’pose. Nobody ever reaches out a helping hand to us, 
and we pay ’em for it in our own way. See how Fletch 
Sterns serves you, and none of us ever wronged him.” 

^'He isn’t a fair sample to judge by, mother, any more 
than we are,” Nick added, with a quivering lip. ‘Tf 
father did help steal ’em things, he oughter suffer. It 
must be he does,” he could not help saying. 

‘‘Oh, well, he’ll get out afore many years.” 

“What become of the things they took at Grandmother 
Locke’s? I don’t find that they have done anybody any 
good.” 

“I should jess like to know what become of ’em my- 
self. I an’t seen any good of ’em. Yer father had th’ 
handlin’ of ’em, an’ he said he’d hid ’em in Blake’s Hill 
Cave ; but nobody has ever found hide nor hair of ’em.” 


The Secret of the Cave. 


169 


‘‘Where was the cave you looked for, mother?” 

“Over by flattop rock, of course. There an’t but one 
cave on Blake's Hill. He said he'd put spoons, a bracelet, 
some rings, and beads, and a lot of silver money in a 
pocket in the rock. The pocket, he said, was stopped 
with another piece of rock. But nobody an't found th' 
pocket, to say nothing of the treasures. All I ever see 
was the bits you brung here an' wouldn't let me tech. 
Come mighty near getting yer inter trouble, too.'' 

Though he questioned his mother considerably more in 
regard to the matter, Nick learned nothing of impor- 
tance. But that did not discourage him, for he believed 
he had learned the truth already, or at least that he had 
found the key to the mystery. 

He said nothing of his convictions until the following 
morning, when he called Bell aside. 

“I want you to come with me before you go to school, 
but don't say a word to anybody.'' 

Bell noticed that Nick had taken a long rope, and he 
followed him with looks of wonder, saying, when they 
had left the valley and were climbing the hill : 

“Are you going to look for the treasure, Nick?” 

“Yes; and I think we will find it.” 

The boys passed the picnic grounds on their way, Nick 
recalling plainly to mind all that had happened on that 
eventful day. 


170 The Secret of the Cave. 

A few minutes later he and Bell stood on the brink of 
the cliff overhanging the singularly-located cave. 

Quickly making fast one end of the rope to a clump of 
birches at the top, Nick prepared to descend the line, in- 
tending Bell to stand on the watch while he explored the 
cavern. 

This precaution was more aptly taken than Nick real- 
ized, for unknown to him and his brother, at the moment 
they had crossed the Blake Hill’s road, Virgil Bennett 
was coming down the hill on his way to school. At 
sight of the twain, one of whom was carrying the rope, 
he almost instantly divined as he imagined their errand, 
and he drew back into the cover of a clump of birches 
until they should pass. 

'They are going to the cave,’’ he thought, "and that 
means business. My! I must hunt up Vast and some 
of the other boys, and we must follow them.” 

Unconscious of this threatened pursuit, however, as 
we have seen, Nick descended the rope hand under 
hand, until he stood on the shelf leading to the open- 
ing in the ledge. 

"A pocket in the side of the rock,” he said to him- 
self, as he began to examine closely the surface of the 
rugged rock forming the cavern’s sides. Occasionally, 
long, irregular rents marked the surface, and deep fis- 
sures were to be seen; but nowhere could Nick find any 


The Secret of the Cave. 171 

trace of the looked-for ''pocket/' Picking up a loose 
stone, he began to pound upon the rocky wall, hoping 
to discover a difference in the sound. He had touched, 
it seemed, nearly every part of the surface from floor 
to ceiling, when at last a peculiar, hollow noise fol- 
lowed the sharp rap he dealt upon the ledge in one 
corner, where it looked as solid as anywhere. 

"It's it!" he cried, joyously, repeating his thumping 
as far each way as the hollow echo could be heard. Even 
then it was only after a careful search that he discov- 
ered the joints around the square of stone that fitted 
into the solid rock. 

Elated over his discovery, Nick tried to remove the 
piece from its niche, finding himself baffled for what 
seemed a long time. 

Bell grew impatient, and called down to him. 

"I have found it!" he cried, exultantly. "Come down 
here as quick as you can. Bell, and bring a stout stick 
with you." 

Finding one more readily than might have been ex- 
pected, Bell descended to the shelf just as Nick had 
succeeded in loosening the rock cover. 

The next moment a small opening in the rocky wall 
was disclosed, and lying in the dark depths was seen a 
shining heap of jewels and silverware. 

"It’s the Granny Locke treasure®!" exclaimed Nick. 


172 The Secret of the Cave. 

''See! here are spoons, rings, a bracelet, and money! 
It’s all here.” 

"What a find!” said Bell. "What are you going to 
do with it?” 

Nick was too busy to reply, and at that moment a 
rattling sound behind him arrested the attention of Bell. 

Darting back to the shelf of rock at the entrance, he 
saw the ropes they had used to descend with coiled up 
at his feet, while the sounds of persons moving about 
overhead caught his attention. Looking up he was 
startled to find half-a-dozen pairs of eyes staring down 
upon him. 

"We are lost, Nick!” he cried, in a shrill whisper. 
"The rope has been cut, and a lot of fellers are watch- 
ing us from the cliff!” 


CHAPTER XXX. 


A GREAT MISTAKE. 

Nick quickly gathered up the treasures, and, thrust- 
ing them back into the ‘‘pocket,’’ asked: 

“Who are they. Bell?” 

“I can only see their heads. But Vastly Sterns is 
there, and Sam Brackett. I thought I saw Virgil Ben- 
nett, too.” 

“And they have cut the rope ?” 

“Yes, and dropped it on the shelf. Oh, Nick! what 
are we going to do?” 

“I wonder what they are prowling around here now, 
of all times? I must get these things out of sight,” 
refitting the stone in its place as he spoke. 

When this had been done, he took a hurried survey 
of their situation. 

“I am glad they dropped the rope,” he said. “Per- 
haps they do not know we are here.” 

“They do ! Hear ’em shouting.” 

“Hilloa!” called out some one from above them. 
“Show your heads if you know when you are well off.” 

“Keep still,” whispered Bell, “and perhaps they will 
go away.” 


m 


A Great Mistake. 


‘‘If they know we are here they won’t be likely to do 
that before they have done something to drive us out. 
I think I had better speak to them.” 

As the sharp “hilloa” from the brink of the cliff rang 
out again, Nick stepped out upon the narrow shelf of 
rock, and asked what was wanted. 

“What are you doing there?” demanded young Sterns. 

“Come and see if you want to know,” replied the 
boy charcoal burner. “What did you want to cut our 
rope for?” 

“So you could not get away while we watched you.” 

Nick made no reply to this, but taking up one end of 
the rope, began to knot it. 

“What shall we do?” asked Bell, anxiously. 

“Let ourselves down to the ground below,” replied 
Nick, looking about for some place to fasten the rope, and 
soon finding a point of rock that he felt certain would 
hold the line so it would not slip off. While he was doing 
this, the watchers above looked on with wonder, until they 
divined his purpose. 

“Here ! don’t you do that !” cried Vastly Sterns. “We 
will throw a big rock down upon you if you do.” 

But Nick did not believe they would dare to do that, 
and as soon as he had made the rope fast, he told Bell to 
descend its length and drop the balance of the distance to 


A Great Mistake. 


175 

the earth. As this was not over ten feet, he anticipated 
no harm. 

Bell lost no time in nimbly making the descent, reach- 
ing the foot of the bluff in safety. Nick followed before 
those overhead had recovered from their first surprise. 

''We’ll leave the rope for you,” called back Nick, as he 
and Bell darted away into the depths of the forest. 

"Plague take the coalers!” exclaimed Vastly, in dis- 
gust. "Who would have thought they would have got off 
in that way? Now we are dished. But I tell you one of 
us ought to stay here on watch all day. That Nick Bleak 
weren’t down there for nothing.” 

It was finally decided that Virgil Bennett should re- 
main at the place, while the rest returned to the village 
with an account of what they had witnessed. But their 
story excited no interest, and the others had not been 
there ten minutes before young Bennett appeared on the 
scene. He declared he had heard the charcoal burners 
coming, and so had left as quickly as possible. No 
doubt the last part of his statement was true. 

Meanwhile Nick had returned to the Birches, having 
charged Bell to say nothing of their discovery in the 
cave. 

"What are you going to do with the treasure?” 


176 


A Great Mistake. 


‘"I am going to carry it back to Granny Locke this 
evening — everything. That’ll partly undo the wrong.’' 

‘‘Dare you, Nick?” 

“Wait and see.” 

Nick’s mind was firmly made up in that respect, and a 
little after sunset he and Bell reached the cliff with a 
new rope and a sack in which to put the articles. 

Satisfying themselves that no one was in the vicin- 
ity, Nick rapidly arranged the line, and descended again 
to the cave. Finding the treasure undisturbed, in less 
than five minutes he had rejoined his brother with it all 
safe and snug in the sack. 

In order to reach the home of Mr. Locke, it was nec- 
essary for them to pass through the village at the Nar- 
rows, a course that even Nick hesitated from following. 
But it would be past dark before they could get there, 
and blaming himself for fearing any danger, he led the 
way toward the road. 

To Nick’s regret, he found that a large crowd of 
boys were collected in the single street, while half-a- 
dozen men were gathered about the entrance to the 
store. But putting on a bold front, they kept on their 
way, looking neither to the right nor left. 

“There goes the Son of Old Nick!” some one called 


A Great Mistake. 


177 

out, when several boys rushed forward, the foremost 
crying, as he caught sight of the sack in Nick’s arms: 

“Hilloa! what are you carrying off there?” 

Without replying, the twain kept on, though the 
others still approached, and they could see that the 
knot of men at the store had begun to watch them 
with curious interest. 

'‘Run!” whispered Bell. '‘They mean to tackle us!” 

And, regardless of Nick’s warning, the frightened boy 
broke into a run, though he stopped after going a short 
distance. Of course, to run was the worst course to be 
followed, and it excited the crowd to more earnest pur- 
suit. 

Finding they were going to be assailed, Nick dropped 
the sack and, catching up a rock from the ground, 
turned defiantly at bay. 

"Let us alone!” he cried. "We ain't touching any- 
body.'’ 

Unfortunately for them, a sharp jingling sound came 
from the silverware as Nick let fall the sack, and the 
telltale noise reached the ears of the foremost of the 
would-be assailants. 

"He’s been stealing something now. Don't let him 
get away.” 

Nick saw the men coming swiftly toward him, and, in 


178 A Great Mistake. 

a fit of desperation, he hurled the stone into the air, 
and catching up the sack, started to flee. 

A piercing cry rang on the air the next moment, fol- 
lowed by the startling exclamation: 


“He’s killed Captain Coe! 


CHAPTER XXXI. 


CONDEMNED. 

Great excitement instantly reigned, and Nick, finding 
that he was going to be surrounded, for the second time 
turned at bay. 

‘^Hands off !” he cried, but no one heeding his words, he 
quickly found himself dragged to the ground and over- 
powered. 

Somehow Bell, in the wild struggle, slipped away, and 
was not captured. 

Nick felt the sack torn from his hold, and then he was 
borne in headlong haste toward the store, where he was 
tied hands and feet. 

'Tt’s lucky we got him so easy,’’ remarked one of the 
leading spirits. ^ What has he got in the sack ?” 

^^Why, as true as I live. I believe it is Grandmother 
Locke’s jewels stole so long ago.” 

The hurried investigation that followed showed the cor- 
rectness of the statement, when the excitement was 
greatly intensified. 

There was another cause for the wild and exaggerated 
talk that succeeded. It was thought that Captain Coe 
had received fatal injuries from the stone thrown by Nick. 


i8o 


Condemned. 


'The Son of Old Nick will have to hang for this night’s 
work!” was heard on every side. 

The poor prisoner was dumb. He understood the peril 
of his situation, and speechless, he suffered himself to be 
borne away to the place where he was to be kept under 
strong guard until another day. 

The assault upon Captain Coe, the finding of the Locke 
jewels in the possession of Nick Bleak^ and his speedy 
arrest, were news that spread like wildfire. It was not 
half an hour before everybody in that vicinity had learned 
the full particulars and were discussing the matter pro 
and con. 

As bad as the majority had already considered the Son 
of Old Nick, few, if any, had supposed him capable of this 
conduct. 

Bell ran every step to his home with the startling news 
to those at the Birches, when as great excitement reigned 
there as at the Narrows, and many bitter speeches were 
made. 

If there was none other outside his companions who 
heard of his arrest with deep regret, Miss Spencer felt 
the blow keenly. 

"It is all some fearful mistake,” she said to Mr. Vea- 
sey, as he described the scene to which he had been an eye 
witness. "Nick Bleak is neither bad enough to be doing 


Condemned. 


i8i 

anything lie ought not to with that stolen property, or to 
willfully kill any man/’ 

‘‘I am confident he did it only under the excitement of 
the moment — of course I mean the throwing of the 
stone,” said Mr. Veasey. ‘'But, nevertheless, it is going 
hard with the boy. If the captain dies, I am not sure 
but they will hang him. If he lives, it means years be- 
hind the prison bars.” 

“And a life wrecked that might have been saved with 
kindly treatment.” 

Nick passed a sleepless night, and the following fore- 
noon he was taken from his solitary confinement for a 
hearing before Justice Durgin. The charge against him 
was rather indefinite, owing to the uncertainty hanging 
over the condition of Captain Coe. The stone had struck 
him on the side of the head just below the temple, cutting 
an ugly gash about two inches long, besides having ren- 
dered him unconscious for an hour or more. The doc- 
tor had sewed up the wound, but he shook his head when 
asked as to the probabilities of recovery of his patient. 
The captain was a man past seventy, which made his 
chances more doubtful than they would have been had he 
been a younger person. He was not able to sit up at this 
time. 

If Captain Coe died, the prisoner was sure to be tried 


1 82 Condemned. 

for murder in the first degree, but should he recover, it 
might go easier with the culprit. 

The room in which the court was held was crowded 
with spectators, while double the number inside were con- 
gregated around the building, every window being filled 
with anxious faces. 

Nick appeared calmer than might have been expected. 
Once he beheld the gaze of Miss Spencer, who was among 
those in the house, fixed upon him, and he imagined she, 
at least, had not forsaken him. None other was present 
that he cared to think had a friendly thought for him. 
Of his friends and companions at the Birches, no one 
had the courage to run the risk of being there. 

With no one to counsel him, Nick told his story in a 
plain, straightforward way. He had succeeded in find- 
ing the previous day the stolen property at the cave, and, 
wishing to make amends as far as lay in his power for the 
wrongs done in the past by those near and dear to him, he 
had resolved to take everything he had found back to the 
owner, without saying a word to his friends. He was on 
that mission when he had been assailed by the thoughtless 
boys of the village, and in a fit of desperation, he had 
caught up the stone. But no sooner had he done it than 
he realized his mistake, and he cast the missile from him 
with no intention of hitting any one. 

‘'Do you mean to say,’' demanded the stern judge, 


Condemned. 183 

“that in your anger you did not throw the rock at the 
group of men in front of the store ?” 

“I did not, sir. I throwed it in nearly an opposite 
direction.'’ 

Though hitherto his story had been listened to with 
a respectful silence, a murmur of indignation and loud 
hisses rang through the room. 

“Order!" called out the judge. “Remember, pris- 
oner at the bar, that you are under oath. With a full 
realization of that solemn fact, you may wish to qualify 
your statement." 

“I am sure I did not throw the stone in the direc- 
tion of the store," said Nick, stoutly. 

It could be plainly seen that this part of his story 
was received with anything but satisfaction. In fact 
the audience was there to condemn him according to its 
own prejudice, and not to grant him any concessions. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


NICK A PRISONER. 

The silence which followed Nick’s reiteration of his 
statement was broken by Mr. Alden Veasey, who was 
occupying a seat near the prisoner, while Frank Mor- 
rison sat just behind him. 

''Your honor,” said Mr. Veasey, rising from his 
seat, "as the boy has no counsel, I ask the privilege to 
fill that position.” 

Looks of amazement and jeers, low and loud, rang 
around the courtroom at this unexpected announce- 
ment. 

"The court sees no objection to your taking that 
doubtful stand, Mr. Veasey,” replied the judge. 

"I thank you, judge, and I ask the privilege of in- 
troducing a witness for the defense. He is the brother 
of the prisoner, who, it will be remembered, was with 
the one before the bar at the time of the unfortunate 
affair. To show you that we mean to be fair and above 
board, I ask that this brother be examined alone and 
without knowing what the prisoner has told. He is 
in ignorance of it so far.” 


Nick a Prisoner. 185 

Nothing could seem fairer and the privilege was at 
once granted that Bell Bleak should be found and 
made to give his version of the case. 

Bell was found at his home, and his fears knew no 
bounds until he was assured that no harm was in- 
tended him. Then, under the kindly questioning of Mr. 
Veasey, he told a story that exactly agreed with what 
Nick had testified. 

'‘Very well as far as it goes,'’ said the judge, "and 
he will prove a good witness at the higher court, but 
his testimony does not throw any light on the most 
important part of the charge, that relative to the as- 
sault on Captain Coe.” 

The result was inevitable. Nick was indicted and 
put under heavy bond to appear at higher court for 
trial in December. In default of bail he was taken to 
jail. 

It was not a surprise that no one felt like standing 
bail for the boy charcoal burner, for to have done so 
would have required more moral courage than the good 
citizens of the Narrows laid any claim to. It is true 
Frank Morrison suggested that it ought to be done, but 
even Mr. Veasey, who was the fairest-minded of any 
one, did not think it a prudent thing to do. 

"We must wait and see how the captain comes on. 


i86 


Nick a Prisoner. 


If he dies this is too serious a matter to act upon has- 
tily/’ 

While he believed that Nick had thrown the stone 
under the excitement of the moment without any clear 
idea as to the result, he held that the prisoner was 
morally responsible for the effect. 

Fortunately Captain Coe soon recovered entirely 
from his wound, but even then Nick remained in jail 
ignorant of this favorable turn of affairs. 

Meanwhile, life at the Birches moved on with a quiet 
it had never known. Outside of his home Nick was 
missed more than any one else would have been. 

Bell, who left the school at once, spent his time wan- 
dering about the woods in an aimless manner. And it 
was while he was spending his time in this listless 
way that he accidentally made a discovery that sent a 
thrill of hope through his heart. It is often the case 
that the most important revelations are made in some 
simple manner. Bell’s happened in this way: 

Crossing the Blake’s Hill road one afternoon he 
saw a chipmunk flitting innocently about among the 
boughs of an oak, when he caught up a stone and flung 
it at the squirrel. The rock missed the object of his 
aim, and, striking the body of the tree, shied off 
in an opposite direction from that he had intended it to 


Nick a Prisoner. 187 

Bell noticed it, and in a moment he thought of Nick and 
his unfortunate throw. 

'‘That shows just how he hit Captain Coe!’’ he cried, 
beginning to dance for joy. "He said he thought he hit 
one of the elms on the common, and he did, and the rock 
slewed and hit the captain. I wonder if I can do that 
again.’’ 

Bell tried, not once, but a hundred times. In fact he 
did nothing else for the rest of the day, and several times 
he succeeded in his purpose. In fact, as practice makes 
perfect, he soon got so he could perform the feat about 
every third trial. 

Able to think of nothing else, he was resolved to see 
Mr. Veasey, and tell him of his discovery. Accordingly, 
the next morning, he started for the village. 

One thing happened in his favor at the outset, and 
that was the meeting of Frank Morrison on his way to the 
Narrows. Remembering his friendship for Nick, Bell 
quickly told him what he could do. 

"Zounds! if you can do that. Bell, it will be a good 
thing in your brother’s favor. I will go right back to the 
village with you. Jump in ; it is as cheap to ride as it is 
to walk.” 

Bell had not been to the village since the morning of 
Nick’s trial, so he felt a little nervous, but the thought of 
what he could do nerved hint to put on a bold front. 


i88 


Nick a Prisoner. 


Mr. Veasey was at home, and he listened to what his 
callers had to say with great interest. 

^'It may be possible,’^ he admitted, ‘'but it looks to me 
exceedingly doubtful. Still, you say you can do it, 
Belir 

“I have done it, sir. And if I can do it, won’t that 
show that Nick might have done it that evening?” 

“I suppose it would. Say, Frank, I tell you what we 
might do. Let the boy try it before a few of us for wit- 
nesses. If he succeeds, it will give the lawyers some- 
thing to work on any way. What do you say ?” 

“That’s just what I came back for. Better get John 
Hill and Sam Perry to witness it, hadn’t we? They are 
good citizens.” 

“Yes ; and say, I am going to ask the captain to see it. 
Shall he try it up here in the street?” 

“I should say so; let him throw at the elm he thinks 
his brother hit. Hilloa ! here comes Sterns and Swayne. 
They will be witnesses.” 

Bell saw Fletcher Sterns coming with considerable 
trepidation, suddenly losing confidence in his ability to do 
what he had claimed, at the sight of him he knew was the 
enemy of every one at the Birches. 

“What’s going on?” asked Sterns, anticipating that 
something of uncommon interest was about to take place. 

“Keep your eyes open, Sterns, and you will soon see,” 


Nick a Prisoner. 189 

replied Mr. Morrison, starting to invite some of the wit- 
nesses to be on hand. 

While this was being done, Bell found a dozen stones of 
the right size for his purpose, and stationed himself in the 
road as near to the spot where Nick had stood as he could 
tell. 

By the time the invited men were on hand, half-a-dozen 
others were drawn to the place, with a prospect of many 
others soon appearing. 

“What boy's play is going on, any way?” Fletcher 
Sterns asked of several, one after the other, until finally 
Mr. Veasey, with a few remarks, made known the pur- 
pose in view. 

“Now, if the boy can do what he claims, it will be 
pretty good evidence that Nick Bleak's shot was an acci- 
dent. Ready, Bell, show us what you can do.'' 

“I don't see what so many want to get 'round for !'' said 
Bell, under his breath. “They make me nervous and I 
know I shall fail!'' 

A faint heart never yet won a battle. 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 


HOW BELL KEPT HIS WORD. 

''Bah!’’ exclaimed Fletcher Sterns, with a contemptu- 
ous toss of his head, "this is the biggest child’s play 1 ever 
see.” 

These words reached Bell Bleak, as he raised his arm 
for the first throw. He lacked the strong nerve and de- 
termined nature of his brother, and he hesitated before 
undertaking the hazardous task he had imposed upon 
himself. 

"If I should iail,” he thought, "they’ hoot me out of 
town, and it would be worse for Nick than ever.” 

Three times he brought back his arm to hurl the stone 
at the tree, and let it fall by his side. Frank Morrison 
saw his nervousness, and hastened to say : 

"Be firm. Bell. Remember Nick’s life depends on how 
you throw that stone. But take your time.” 

For the fourth time Bell raised his arm and then he 
sent the missile flying through the air. It struck the elm 
squarely and dropped to the ground at its foot. 

"Hit the m.ark the first time,” said Sterns, in a sneer- 


ing way. 


How Bell Kept His Word. 19 1 

Chagrined over his first failure, Bell made his second 
attempt, and again the stone fell to the earth with a dull 
sound. 

Still he was determined to persevere, and he made 
his third trial to meet with the same result as before. 

‘That's all fol-derol!" exclaimed one of the spectators, 
turning away in disgust. 

The fourth attempt brought a shout of encourage- 
ment for Bell. He succeeded in making the stone shy 
off to the right, though not in a satisfactory manner by 
any means. 

Following this he made six failures, and trembling 
in every limb, the perspiration stood out in great drops 
on his face. 

“I did it yesterday one time out of three,” he said, 
speaking so the rest could hear for the first time. 

“Wants to show us how he can shy a stone so it 
will fall where you stood, does he, captain?” asked 
Sterns, seeming to gloat over the boy’s failure. “The 
safest place a feller could stand would be there, de- 
scending from the store steps as he spoke, and taking 
a position within a foot of where the trader had been 
standing at the fateful moment. 

“He is too nervous to do anything well,” declared 
Captain Coe. “It doubtless makes him fidgety to have 
so many around. Don't mind us, Bell, if you can 


192 How Bell Kept His Word. 

do what you are trying to no one will be more pleased 
than 1.” 

Encouraged by this Bell, threw the remaining rocks 
in his hands, the last failing to even hit the tree, where- 
upon a loud shout went up from the onlookers. 

This angry, taunting cry did more to arouse Bell 
Bleak than anything that had been said or done — this 
with the thought that he had made a miserable failure. 
Nick must die and all on account of him ! 

In his excitement and vexation he caught up a stone 
lying at his feet and flung it with all the power he 
could bring into his arm at the inoffensive elm. The 
missile struck on the side of the tree with a dull thud, 
and glancing, went hurtling through the air at almost a 
right angle. The sharp whirring of its passage through 
the air was swiftly followed by a cry of pain, when 
Fletcher Sterns was seen to throw up his arms and 
stagger backward, a stream of blood instantly begin- 
ning to run down his cheek. 

Those who were nearest to him sprang forward to 
catch him, while the other spectators made a dash for 
the spot. 

Mr. Veasey and Frank Morrison quickly ordered the 
crowd back, and finding that the victim was insensible, 
the village doctor was sent for at once. 


How Bell Kept His Word. 193 

Bell stood as if transfixed, thinking that he had killed 
Mr. Sterns and that he would have to go to prison. 

*‘Is — is he dead?” he found courage to ask at last. 

'‘If he is it has served him right!” replied a by- 
stander. 

"Have no fear, Bell Bleak,” said Captain Coe. "Even 
if you have killed him, you are not to blame. I can 
see now that Nick may have been blameless in hitting 
me.” 

When the excitement had subsided and the situa- 
tion was more clearly understood, it was found that 
Mr. Sterns had not received so serious a wound as 
Captain Coe had on the previous occasion. 

"Just enough to do him good,” said Frank Morri- 
son. "No business to have stood there. Well, Bell, 
you have made good your word, and if there ain’t them 
at the Narrows as will go bonds for Nick until his 
trial, I should like to know the reason why.” 

Public opinion is always fickle. She ignores to-day 
the sentiments she expressed yesterday, and laughs at 
the judgment she may fling in your face to-morrow. 

Bell Bleak suddenly found that he was not entirely 
friendless. Mr. Sterns had never been popular with his 
townsmen, and that he should have been the victim of 
the boy’s singular shot after what he had said seemed 
a sort of retributive justice. Then if Bell had made 


194 How Bell Kept His Word. 

such a throw as that, and every one present was ready 
to swear to that fact, why not Nick Bleak have done 
the same thing? 

Alden Veasey, Frank Morrison, and Captain Coe 
were stoutly of this opinion anyway, and the three 
agreed then and there to sign the prisoner’s bond as 
soon as convenient. 

Bell went home a happy boy. 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 

I 

A KNAVE OR A FOOL? 

Having seen that the papers were properly executed, 
Mr. Veasey and Mr. Morrison started the following 
morning for Exeter to bring Nick home. 

It was the greatest surprise of Nick Bleak’s life when 
his bondsmen were ushered into his presence and he 
was told that he was at liberty to go home. 

“Surprising developments have taken place since you 
went away, Nick,” said Mr. Veasey, “which have sort of 
opened our eyes. We are going to give you a fair 
chance to clear yourself if you are innocent. If you are 
guilty you can afford to do the square thing by us as 
we do by you. We will tell you all about it as we 
go home, but it is due to Bell.” 

“Bell is honest, Mr. Veasey. He would never steal 
or lie, if he is a Bleak. And I told the truth about that 
night. As I have been here thinking it over, I am 
sure I threw that stone toward that old elm on the 
common. I heard it strike, though I couldn’t quite 
make it appear so then, I was so excited.” 

“While the horse is eating his dinner and you are 


196 


A Knave or a Fool? 


looking over the town/' said Mr. Morrison, “I have a 
little business I want to attend to.*’ 

He did not tell his companions that his business would 
call him to the office of the Registrar of Deeds on Main 
street, but thither he made his way, and when he came 
out half-an-hour after, a board smile was on his florid 
features. 

“I am glad of it!" he kept saying over to himself. 
“I was hoping there was some flaw. It wasn't justice. 
Won't you be a surprised man, Fletcher?'’ 

“'What makes you so smiling, Frank?" asked Mr. 
Veasey, as they were on their way home. “I believe to 
my soul you feel better than Nick. You have got a 
broader grin on, anyway.” 

“By jove, Alden! it’s too good for me to keep, and 
I’m going to spit it out now. Fletch Sterns’ collector’s 
deed isn’t worth the paper it is written on. I want 
you to drive round that way and look at it. It hasn’t 
got any witnesses!" 

There was no disputing the fact, and it would have 
been difficult to have told which was the most pleased 
of the three. 

“Now when you get home I want you to go to Mr. 
Sterns and offer him the amount of the taxes and costs. 
The whole won’t be over twenty dollars." 

“But I have lost my mone}^ now," replied Nick, as 


A Knave or a Fool? 


197 


his thrilling adventure with Vastly Sterns came into his 
mind. *‘I couldn’t pay it if it wasn’t more'n twenty 
cents.” 

“Lost your money!” exclaimed his companions. “You 
had nearly fifty dollars.” 

*‘lt was stolen,” replied Nick, and then in explana- 
tion he told of his experience with Vastly Sterns, while 
his companions listened with wonder. 

“I didn’t dare to tell this before,” declared Nick, as 
he finished. “I knew everybody would refuse to be- 
lieve it, and that I should make it all the worse for 
me.” 

“I always knew that young Sterns was capable of 
almost anything, and I am not surprised at this,” said 
Mr. Morrison, frankly. 

“I can’t realize that he would steal,” said Mr. Veasey. 
“I think you must be in some way mistaken, Nick. 
Hadn’t the money dropped out of your pocket?” 

“I am sure it was in the pocket when I hung the vest 
on the hazel, and I see Vastly Sterns stealing away 
from the place. I did not think he would steal.” 

“Hold on!” exclaimed Mr. Morrison, “and see what 
you think of my plan. Let’s all go up to Sterns’ this 
very evening, and see what he and his boy will say 
when confronted by this accusation. We can fix up 
the tax business at the same time.” 


198 


A Knave or a Fool? 


“Dare you say to Vastly Sterns before his father 
what you have told us?’' asked Mr. Veasey of Nick. 

“Yes, sir; and I don’t believe that Vastly will deny 
I swam half across Sunny Pond with him.” 

“Very well; I am willing to see this matter through. 
It will be a good idea, too, to ask Captain Coe to go 
along with us.” 

It was thus settled that the visit should be made as 
early in the evening as possible. 

Nick’s return was anxiously looked for by his friends 
and relatives at the Birches, and Bell, the happiest one 
of them all, was at the forks of the road to meet him. 
Mrs. Bleak showed more than common demonstration, 
while those outside his humble home were loud in their 
congratulations. 

But he could not stop long with them, as he had 
promised to be promptly on hand to go with the others 
to pay that visit to Fletcher Sterns, which all must have 
foreseen was to be fraught with momentous results. 
Just how great Nick Bleak did not realize, or he might 
have dreaded the ordeal. 

He was to meet his friends and champions at the 
juncture of the bush road with that running to Blake’s 
Hill, and he was barely at the designated point before 
Mr. Veasey and Captain Coe, riding in the same car- 
riage, reached the spot. 


A Knave or a Fool? 


199 


‘‘Well, you are on hand,’* greeted the captain. “I 
always like to see folks punctual. How do you feel 
about facing Mr. Sterns with your bold accusations? 
Before we go any further, I want to know if you real- 
ize the full significance of what you say? Remember, 
this is no boy’s play, and if we find that you have 
deceived us, and we are sure to do it if you have, you 
shall go back to jail to-morrow morning. I have come 
with Mr. Veasey only on that condition.” 

“I have told only the truth, sir.” 

“And you are not afraid to face this man with what 
you have said?” 

“No, sir.” 

“Drive on, Mr. Veasey. We will know who is the 
knave or the fool before we get through.” 


CHAPTER XXXV. 


OLD LIFE AND NEW. 

Nick's companions relapsed into silence as they rode on, 
and he felt a strange fear tugging at his heart. He was 
not afraid to meet his enemy face to face, but he could 
not help feeling that to do it would be of no avail. How 
would Fletcher Sterns and his son treat his story? Of 
course, he would boldly attempt to beat him down. He 
missed his fearless, impetuous friend, Frank Morrison, 
though he did not think it best to ask for him. 

The silence, however, was broken as they came to the 
foot of the hill leading to the Sterns farmhouse, when 
Captain Coe said : 

‘'Now let us decide upon our course of action. Frank 
has had ample time to get the old man away from the 
house, so the way must be clear for the boys to have their 
meeting. Let the two squarely face each other in our 
presence, and I will tell inside of three minutes whether 
young Sterns is a knave, or Nick Bleak is a knave and a 
fool to boot." 

“Do you understand your part, young man ?" turning to 
the young charcoal burner. “You are to accuse Vastly 


Old Life and New. 


201 


Sterns of stealing your money, and we will stand behind 
you until we are satisfied of his innocence or guilt. Re- 
member, if he comes out of this trial to our satisfaction 
the alternative that awaits you. You are between two 
fires.” 

This speech was not intended to reassure Nick, and his 
affirmative was not overstrong in tone. It was decided 
that Nick should rap at the door and request to see Vastly. 
What he was to say was left wholly to him. 

Though it was nine o'clock by this time, a light was 
burning in the sitting-room, and soon after Nick had 
made his summons, this was seen to move in the direction 
of the door. 

A moment later Mrs. Sterns appeared in answer to the 
knock. 

'‘Good-evening, mum," doffing his cap, respectfully ; “if 
you please, I want to see Vastly a minute.” 

“Who are you? Why, Nick Bleak! What do you 
want of my boy? He is ready to go to bed. He cannot 
see you at this late hour," and she was about to close the 
door, when Captain Coe interposed. 

At sight of him, she turned pale, gasping: 

“Oh, Captain Coe! is it about that money? He 
found " 

“Shut the door, mother!" exclaimed Vastly himself, ap- 


202 


Old Life and New. 


pearing on the scene. “We don't want anything to do 
with that hoodlum. Father 

He was in the act of closing the door, but Nick sprang 
forward, and holding it back, cried : 

“Stop. Vastly Sterns! I want my money. Give that 
back to me and you shan't be hurt. You got it out of my 
vest pocket the " 

“It ain't so!" cried the excited youth. “I know noth- 
ing of your money. Captain Coe, I call upon you to save 
me from that young hoodlum." 

Vastly had relinquished his hold on the door and re- 
treated into the room, followed by our hero and his com- 
panions, the latter carrying terror to the hearts of mother 
and son. 

“Where is your father, Vastly? This is outrageous. 
Help !" 

“Be calm, Mrs. Sterns," said Mr. Veasey. “We do not 
mean to harm any one. Only to speak about the money 
you referred to." 

“You don’t blame my boy for finding it? I saw it on 
his table, and he told me that he had found it." 

“I did find it, mother," interrupted Vastly. “Don't you 
believe a word that coal burner tells you. He lies every 
time he opens his mouth." 

Nick quivered from head to feet, but he managed to 
say, with considerable calmness: 


Old Life and New. 


203 

“Do I lie, Vastly, when I say I chased you from the 
Narrows to the shore of Sunny Pond?’’ 

“No ; I never run so in my life.” 

“And you took to the boat then?” 

“I had to to save my life.” 

“And when half-way across the pond your boat sank, 
leaving you in the water?” 

“Yes.” 

“And I swam ashore with you ?” 

“I suppose you did. But what has all this got to do 
with money — ^your money?” 

“What do you suppose I was chasing you all that way 
for?” 

“To hammer me. You have always tried to get your 
hands on me whenever you could,” 

“What were you in the valley for — clear up to where I 
was working?” 

“What if I was? It was none of your business.” 

“It was my business, for you took my money, wallet 
and all, from my vest pocket.” 

Nick was perfectly calm now, while Vastly was trem- 
bling from head to feet, and great beads of perspiration 
stood out on his face. The presence of Captain Coe and 
Mr. Veasey did more to unnerve him than anything else. 
He knew their coming meant more than he dared to con- 
template. He was in a tight place. 


204 Old Life and New. 

‘'See!’’ exclaimed Mrs. Sterns, who had hastened to the 
chamber during the foregoing conversation and obtained 
the pocketbook she had spoken of. "Is this it? There is 
money in it Vastly said he found it.” 

"It is my wallet,” said Nick, recognizing the pocket- 
book the moment she held it up. "I had fifty dollars in 
it” 

"It’s a lie — a scheme to ruin me!” cried Vastly, seizing 
the object and throwing it into the fireplace. 

"What does all this rumpus mean?” demanded Mr. 
Sterns, appearing on the scene at this minute, accom- 
panied by Frank Morrison. 

"It means that the wronged shall be set right,” replied 
Captain Coe, impressively. "Mr. Veasey, get that pocket- 
book and see how much money there is in it.” 

"Why don’t you answer my question, Captain Coe ?” re- 
peated the excited and amazed farmer. "What are you 
doing here in my house with that jailbird of a Bleak?” 

"Easy, Mr. Sterns ; the easier the better for you. Your 
boy has been caught in an awkward situation, and if you 
want to favor him, I advise you to be careful what you 
say.” 

A half-hour’s excited argument followed, and then 
Vastly Sterns confessed to his guilt, to the surprise of his 
father and the grief of his mother. 


Old Life and New. 


205 

'Oh, Captain Coe, what is going to be the end of this ? 
My boy a thief ! I — oh 

'‘Do not give away to your feelings so, Mrs. Sterns, for 
you have our sympathy. I believe you are an honest 
woman, and this is not the result of your teaching.’’ 

"I have always told him to be honest. Captain Coe, and 
I never dreamed I had a boy ” 

“Hush, Emily !” broke in her husband. “I see nothing 
so terrible about this. 1 can settle with the captain. 
After that we shall see that this Son of Old Nick is 
given ” 

“Hold!” commanded the ex-soldier, the fire of his 
younger years returning to his eyes. “This can be set- 
tled here, for the sake of the mother, who has my pity. 
But there are certain conditions that have got to be lived 
up to besides proper remuneration.” 

“Name them,” said the trembling man. 

“Pay back the boy his money first of all. Then accept 
the just amount due on those taxes, and pay him for the 
wood you took from him. And from this hour treat him 
as an equal. Remember, that if ever he is ill-treated by 
any of you, the warrant shall be served on Vastly here for 
stealing. Otherwise, he shall not be touched. More 
than that, Mrs. Sterns, for your sake, I promise that none 
of us here shall ever speak of the matter ; so it shall not 


2 o 6 Old Life and New. 

be generally known. You promise that, Alden, Frank, 
Nicholas 

do.^’ 

‘‘But I have a deed ’’ 

‘'Not worth the paper it is written on. You have my 
only terms, and just five minutes to decide in.’’ 

Several years have passed since that eventful evening, 
and as far as I know, no one has ever regretted the out- 
come of its startling surprise, not even kind-hearted Mrs. 
Sterns, for Vastly learned a lesson that has been of un- 
bounded value to him. 

Nick Bleak went to his home a happy boy, and the sun- 
shine he carried with him shone for many a day. 

“The old place is ours, mother, Mr. Sterns having 
kindly consented to let me pay up. To-morrow I shall 
pay the taxes for this year. I have no more to fear on 
that score. Then, I am sure to be released from all 
charges of the court, so I am really free. Captain Coe, 
to show the folks that I’m worth being trusted, is going 
to let me come in his store, while I shall have plenty of 
time to study and go to Miss Spencer’s school. Bell will 
have nothing to do but to attend school. Mr. Veasey has 
offered us his small house to live in, if we want to move 


Old Life and New, 207 

from the Narrows. It will be handier for us children to 
go to school. So you can see we can be somebody after 
all, if we will. Of course, if I don’t do right, I shall lose 
niy place. But I mean to keep it. 

“What do you say, mother, is it the Narrows or the 
Birches? The old life or a new one?” 

“If you have such friends as them, Nick, we’ll try the 
new a while !“ 

I am glad to say that through Nick’s and Bell’s ex- 
ample, none of them ever went back to the old. 

Both boys are honored men now, one an artist fast 
gaining a reputation that is national, the other a states- 
man risen to high positions and accumulated honors, who 
remembers the dark days when he was the Son of Old 
Nick with smiles and tears — smiles for the steadfast pur- 
pose that was a part of his nature — tears for the hardships 
that environed him. 

One happy incident came into his family three years 
after his first victory, in the pardoning of his father in an- 
swer to a long petition for his release. I am glad to say 
he, too, kept the faith by turning over a new leaf. 

Black Daniels has never been seen since that night by 
those who knew him then. Joe Blare is now behind the 
bars. Of the rest, some have imitated the example of our 
hero and improved their ways ; others, I am sorry to say, 


2o8 


Old Life and New. 


follow in the old footsteps, though there are only a few 
ruined dwellings and the coal beds left of what was once 
the homes of the charcoal burners of the Narrows. As 
for Nick, he will never forget the days when he was 
fighting for home and honor. 


i 


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